Flying gurnard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Flying gurnard
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Dactylopterus
Species:	volitans
Synonyms
Callionymus pelagicus Rafinesque, 1818 Cephalacanthus spinarella (Linnaeus, 1758) Cephalacanthus volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) Dactilopterus volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) Dactylopterus blochii Swainson, 1839 Dactylopterus communis Owen, 1853 Dactylopterus fasciatus Swainson, 1839 Dactylopterus occidentalis Swainson, 1839 Dactylopterus spinarella (Linnaeus, 1758) Dactylopterus tentaculatus Swainson, 1839 Dactylopterus vulgaris Steindachner, 1867 Gasterosteus spinarella Linnaeus, 1758 Gonocephalus macrocephalus Gronow, 1854 Polynemus sexradiatus Mitchill, 1818 Trigla fasciata Bloch & Schneider, 1801 Trigla volitans Linnaeus, 1758

The flying gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans), also known as the helmet gurnard, is a bottom-dwelling fish of tropical to warm temperate waters on both sides of the Atlantic. On the American side, it is found as far north as Massachusetts (exceptionally as far as Canada) and as far south as Argentina, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. On the European and African side, it ranges from the English Channel to Angola, including the Mediterranean. This is the only species in the monotypic genus Dactylopterus. Similar and related species from the genus Dactyloptena are found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

This fish is variable in coloration, being brownish or greenish with reddish or yellowish patches. When excited, the fish spreads its "wings", which are semitransparent, with a phosphorescent, bright-blue coloration at their tips. The fish also has large eyes. It reaches up to 50 cm (20 in) in length and 1.8 kg (4.0 lb) in weight.

The fish's main diet consists of small fish, bivalves, and crustaceans.