Finger Dragonet

Dactylopus dactylopus

Free-standing first ray of the ventral fin (“finger”) is used for walking. Front dorsal fin of the male with long filaments and a blue spot in the anterior region.
The females are speckled or mottled light and dark brown.

Size : 15 cm

Habitat : Inhabits sand and muddy grounds along protected coastal reefs, 2-55 m. Alone or in pairs. During the day often partially buried.

Distribution : Andaman Sea to SW Japan, the Philippines, Palau, East Indonesia and North Australia.

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Chordata

CLASS

:

Actinopterygii

ORDER

:

Syngnathiformes

FAMILY

:

Callionymidae

GENUS

:

Dactylopus

SPECIES

:

Dactylopus dactylopus

Other Information

Population Status

Not Evaluated (NE)

PHOTO COLLECTION

Reference

  1. inaturalist.org
  2. Reef Fishes of the Indo-Pacific. Book by Matthias Bergbauer and Manuela Kirschner