Oriental flying gurnard

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Oriental flying gurnard
Dactyloptena orientalis.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Dactylopteridae
Genus: Dactyloptena
Species:
D. orientalis
Binomial name
Dactyloptena orientalis
(G. Cuvier, 1829) [2]
Synonyms [2]
  • Corystion orientale (Cuvier, 1829)
  • Corystion orientalis (Cuvier, 1829)
  • Dactylopterus cheirophthalmus (Bleeker, 1855)
  • Dactylopterus japonicus (Bleeker, 1854)
  • Dactylopterus orientalis (Cuvier, 1829)
  • Ebisinus procne (Ogilby, 1910)

Dactyloptena orientalis, known commonly as the Oriental flying gurnard or purple flying gurnard among other vernacular names, is a species of marine fish in the family Dactylopteridae. [3] Their name is derived from the French word 'gurnard' meaning to grunt, for the grunting sound this fish makes.

Contents

Description

The oriental flying gurnard can grow to 40 cm (16 in) in length but its common size is about 20 cm (8 in). It has a broad head with a blunt snout and the eyes are set a long way apart. It has a heavily armoured robust body. The dorsal fin has seven spines and nine soft rays while the anal fin has no spines and six to seven soft rays. The huge, rounded pectoral fins having many dark spots and wavy streaks and a bright blue edge. Each ray has a feeler-like extension on the tip. This fish is well camouflaged with a grayish brown base color with dark brown or black markings on its head and body. [4] [5]

Distribution and habitat

The Oriental flying gurnard is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region including the Red Sea. Its range extends from the coasts of East Africa to Polynesia and the western, northern and eastern coasts of Australia. It is found on the seabed in bays and estuaries and sandy areas, most often at depths of about 10 m (33 ft) but sometimes as deep as 100 m (328 ft). [4] [5]

Behavior

The pectoral fins are normally held against the body, but when threatened the fins are expanded to startle potential predators which may include sea breams and mackerel. The flying gurnard uses its pelvic fins to walk along the bottom of the ocean.

The oriental flying gurnard feeds on small bony fish, bivalves, and crustaceans. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dactylopteridae</span> Family of fishes

The flying gurnards are a family, Dactylopteridae, of marine fish notable for their greatly enlarged pectoral fins. As they cannot literally fly or glide in the air, an alternative name preferred by some authors is helmet gurnards. They have been regarded as the only family in the suborder Dactylopteroidei of the Scorpaeniformes but more recent molecular classifications put them in the order Syngnathiformes, in the superfamily Centriscoidea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotwing flying gurnard</span> Species of fish

The spotwing flying gurnard is an unusual looking fish because of its huge pectoral fins. The fish has dark spots and wavy lines on the fins. It has a dull head and a grey or sometimes brown body that is covered with dark brown or black spots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluefin gurnard</span> Species of fish

The bluefin gurnard or Pacific red gurnard is a species of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. Its Māori names are kumukumu and pūwahaiau. It is found in the western Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, being common around Australia and New Zealand at depths down to 200 metres (660 ft). The fish is one of the most important commercial fish species in New Zealand.

<i>Dactyloptena</i> Genus of fishes

Dactyloptena is a genus of flying gurnards native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tub gurnard</span> Species of fish

The tub gurnard, also known as the sapphirine gurnard, tube-fish, tubfish or yellow gurnard, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is exploited by commercial fisheries as a food fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips</span> Species of fish

The Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips, also known as the oriental sweetlips or oriental blubberlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redspotted hawkfish</span> Species of fish

The redspotted hawkfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found at depths from 2 to 46 m on tropical reefs in the Western Atlantic. The Redspotted Hawkfish is also found in the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flat needlefish</span> Species of fish

The flat needlefish, or barred longtom, the only known member of the genus Ablennes, is a marine fish of the family Belonidae. Flat needlefish are considered gamefish, frequently caught with the help of artificial lights, but are not often eaten because of their green-colored flesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiny red gurnard</span> Species of fish

The spiny red gurnard is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This species is found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean where they occur at depths of from 25 to 615 metres. This species grows to a length of 40 centimetres (16 in) TL. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.

<i>Lepidotrigla</i> Genus of fishes

Lepidotrigla is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. These gurnards are found in the Eastern Atlantic, Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.

<i>Prionotus</i> Genus of fishes

Prionotus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, one of two genera belonging to the subfamily Prionotinae, the searobins. These fishes are found in the Western Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean, in the waters off both North and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piper gurnard</span> Species of fish

The piper gurnard, also known as the piper or the lyre gurnard, is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Trigla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red gurnard</span> Species of fish

The red gurnard, also known as the East Atlantic red gurnard or soldier, is a benthic species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This fish is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longrakered trevally</span> Species of fish

The longrakered trevally, also known as the cale cale trevally and heavyjawed kingfish, is a species of marine fish in the jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae. The longrakered trevally is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian and west Pacific Oceans, from Mozambique and Madagascar in the west, to Japan and northern Australia in the east. A large species growing to a recorded length of 1 m, the longrakered trevally is distinguished by is protruding lower jaw, elongated gill rakers and lack of villiform teeth on its tongue. It is an inshore species, restricted to coastal and estuarine regions, where it preys on fishes and crustaceans. Little is known of the species reproductive cycle or growth. The longrakered trevally is of minor importance to fisheries and is often taken as bycatch in finfish and prawn trawls, as well as by recreational fishermen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape gurnard</span> Species of fish

The Cape gurnard is a species of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This species is found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and the southwestern Indian Ocean. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.

The longfin gurnard, the long-finned gurnard or shining gurnard, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This fish is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern striped grunter</span> Species of fish

The Eastern striped grunter is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunter from the family Terapontidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region where it is found in coastal waters and is an omnivore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large-scaled gurnard</span> Species of fish

The large-scaled gurnard is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

<i>Lepidotrigla papilio</i> Species of fish

Lepidotrigla papilio, the spiny gurnard, butterfly gurnard, Eastern spiny gurnard or Southern spiny gurnard. is a species of demersal marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This species is endemic to Australia.

<i>Lepidotrigla spiloptera</i> Species of fish

Lepidotrigla spiloptera, the spotwing gurnard, spotfin gurnard or red-fringed gurnard, is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.

References

  1. Motomura, H. & Matsuura, K. (2016). "Dactyloptena orientalis". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T50903234A53990827. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T50903234A53990827.en .
  2. 1 2 Bailley, Nicolas (2013). "Dactyloptena orientalis (Cuvier, 1829)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 2013-12-21.
  3. Common names of Dactyloptena orientalis FishBase
  4. 1 2 Dactyloptena orientalis (Cuvier, 1829): Oriental flying gurnard FishBase
  5. 1 2 Mark McGrouther (2013-09-04). "Purple Flying Gurnard, Dactyloptena orientalis (Cuvier, 1829)". Australian Museum. Retrieved 2013-12-21.
  6. Fischer, W., I. Sousa, C. Silva, A. de Freitas, J.M. Poutiers, W. Schneider, T.C. Borges, J.P. Feral and A. Massinga, 1990. Fichas FAO de identificaçao de espécies para actividades de pesca. Guia de campo das espécies comerciais marinhas e de águas salobras de Moçambique. Publicaçao preparada em collaboraçao com o Instituto de Investigaçao Pesquiera de Moçambique, com financiamento do Projecto PNUD/FAO MOZ/86/030 e de NORAD. Roma, FAO. 1990. 424 p.