Fingered dragonet

Scientific name : Dactylopus dactylopus

Large dragonet (30 cm) characterized by long body, triangular head, very large fins. The first dorsal fin is tall and with a false eye in the female, terminates with long filaments in the male. Strikingly blue spotted anal fin, blue spots also on the body and pectoral fins (less dense). Background colour is marbled brown. It can bury itself in the sand, where it looks for food working with the first free ray of the ventral fin. If disturbed it swims away in a typical style, with skips, displaying the dorsal fin.

Unique among dragonets due to the size, the fins and the free ray of the ventral fins (fingers).

Author MASSIMO BOYER Id: 5

	Description	Author	Place	Size
	Filtering sand and movement with the fingers	MATTEO GUARDINI	Indonesia, Lembeh strait	467 kB
	Dactylopus dactylopus	DANIELE IOP	Indonesia, Lembeh strait	896 kB