Kristine O'keeffe, Leafy Sea Dragon Love (SINGLE SHOT 2024)

These two Leafy Seadragons (Phycodurus eques) were discovered beneath the Rapid Bay Jetty in South Australia. Witnessing these creatures in person fulfilled a long-held dream, and I was fortunate to observe them engaging in a mesmerizing courtship ritual, mirroring each other's movements. Endemic to Australia, leafy seadragons are masters of camouflage, seamlessly blending into their surroundings with their leaf-like appendages, resembling extensions of the seaweed they inhabit.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.