Flying Gurnard
| Name: | Flying Gurnard |
| Scientific Name: | Dactylopterus volitans |
| Family: | Flying Gurnards |
| Taxonomic: | Dactylopteridae |
| ID Group: | Bottom Dwellers |
| Size: | 6 - 14 in. |
| Depth Range: | In shallow waters (0 – 15 ft.) |
| Sightings: | Not usually seen |
This Gurnard has large, fanlike pectoral fins that reach its tail when folded and show bright blue lines and dots when spread. Its body can be gray to yellow-brown with white spots, and it can change color dramatically. It has a blunt snout and three thick, fingerlike spines on each pectoral fin.
The Flying Gurnard is found on sandy or grassy bottoms. When approached, it often unfolds its pectoral fins and flies a short distance across the bottom.