Flying gurnard

From Wacklepedia - The Free Encyclopedia

flying gurnards
(image here)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Scorpaeniformes Family: Dactylopteridae
Genera Dactyloptena Dactylopterus

The flying gurnards are a family (Dactylopteridae) of marine fish notable for their greatly enlarged pectoral fins, which they use to "walk" along sandy sea floors while looking for crustaceans and other small invertebrates.

The family is small, with seven species in two genera.

Genus Dactyloptena:

• Dactyloptena gilberti
• Spotwing flying gurnard (Dactyloptena macracantha)
• Oriental flying gurnard (Dactyloptena orientalis)
• Butterfly flying gurnard (Dactyloptena papilio)
• Starry flying gurnard (Dactyloptena peterseni)
• Dactyloptena tiltoni

Genus Dactylopterus:

• Flying gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans)

Reference

• FishBase entry for Dactylopteridae