scubaseason

Pegasus Sea Moth

Eurypegasus draconis

Sighting evidence at Eel Garden, Madang

Sea moths walk across the sandy floor on rigid pectoral fin-legs, their extraordinary dragon-like forms encased in bony armor and their wing-like pectoral fins spread wide as they scuttle in search of small worms and crustaceans buried in the sediment. They shed their entire skin every few days in a unique molting behavior among fish, possibly to remove external parasites, and their armored bodies make them nearly impossible for most predators to swallow.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Pegasus Sea Moth is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.