Finger Dragonet, Dactylopus dactylopus (Valenciennes 1837)
A Finger Dragonet, Dactylopus dactylopus, on the Gold Coast Seaway, southern Queensland, April 2016. Source: debaston / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial
· Pelvic fins large, fan-like, with the first ray separated from rest of fin
· First 3 dorsal-fin spines long and filamentous – esp in males
· ‘Walks’ over the bottom
· Complex colour pattern
· Solitary, or in pairs, usually on sand or amongst seagrass
Finger Dragonet, Dactylopus dactylopus (Valenciennes 1837)
References
Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The marine fishes of north-western Australia: a field guide for anglers and divers. Western Australian Museum, Perth. 201 p.
Fricke, R. 1983. Revision of the Indo-Pacific genera and species of the dragonet family Callionymidae (Teleostei). Theses Zoologicae 3: 1-774 figs 1-212
Fricke, R. 2001. Callionymidae. Dragonets. p. 3549-3571. In Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome.