Flying Gurnard

by | May 19, 2016 | Fish, Reef, Science | 2 comments

Good morning from Curacao. We have a new resident that moved into our little sub basin last week and each time I have jumped in I have found him. This is a small Flying Gurnard, one of the most bizarre and interesting fish I have ever seen!

The flying gurnard has a magnificent presence and composure compared to other salt water fish, in fact there is no other fish that looks quite like the gurnard. These fish can be found all along the waters of Japan, Polynesia, and even finding its way in the shallow seas of Hawaii. Learn all about this Dactylopteridae family of fish from where they sleep to what they eat.

Sure they may be called flying, but they actually are very slow and “walk” along the bottoms of the ocean floor with their very wide and long fins that look like a wing span. These fins usually have a neon blue ridge, and are covered in dark spots along with their body. These spots gleam off the sunlight giving them a dazzling look as they search for their food along the sands. Their large fins can make their body look quite small, especially their tiny head with two alert eyes poking out. Their scales are somewhat heavy, which is one of the reasons why this fish is so slow. These weighty scales are used as protection since they are exceptionally thick. MORE

2 Comments

  1. Ronald kok

    I saw one today at ZANZIBAR lagune

    Reply
  2. Teresa H

    I saw two today in Curacao, near Willemstad. Very awesome!

    Reply

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