Flying Gurnard

The flying gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans), also known as the helmet gurnard, is a bottom-dwelling fish, variable in coloration, being brownish or greenish with reddish or yellowish patches. When excited, the fish spreads its "wings", which are semi-transparent, with a phosphorescent bright blue coloration at their tips. They cannot literally fly, but their pelvic fins act as legs as they slowly make their way across the bottom in search of food, mainly crustaceans and other small invertebrates.

It reaches up to 50 cm (20 in) in length and 1.8 kg in weight.

Like the true gurnards, to which they are related, they possess a swim bladder with two lobes and a ‘drumming muscle’ that can beat against the swim bladder to produce sounds.  This grunting sound is used by the flying gurnards to communicate with one another.

They have heavy, protective scales and large eyes.