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.