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SAN DIEGO—A female Weedy Seadragon has transferred eggs to a male at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, a rare event and a first for the institution, it was announced Monday.
“We’re elated to be able to witness this at the aquarium,” said Jenn Nero Moffatt, senior director of animal care, science, and conservation at the Birch. “It’s extremely rare for seadragons to breed in captivity so this is a monumental milestone for all of our staff.
Like seahorses, seadragon males—not females—are responsible for carrying eggs. An egg transfer is quick, but occurs only after the seadragons participate in an elaborate courtship “dance,” a statement from the aquarium reads. The male and female mirror each other, often with their tails curled away from their mate, and spin together snout-to-snout moving up and down in the water column. This dance is essential for the successful transfer of eggs from the female onto the male’s tail, where he then fertilizes and hosts the eggs....