Dactyloptena macracantha (Bleeker, 1855)
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The spotwing flying gurnard (Dactyloptena macracantha) is an unusual looking fish because of its huge pectoral fins. The fish has dark spots and wavy lines on the fins. It has a dull head and a grey or sometimes brown body that is covered with dark brown or black spots.
Despite its name, the spotwing flying gurnard is not related to the true flyingfish; these are in the family Exocoetidae, order Beloniformes. Neither is it able to fly, or even to glide as the true flyingfish do.
These fish can grow to 38 cm in length. They feed on crustaceans, clams and small fishes. They have feeler-like leading rays and extensions from each fin ray. When disturbed, they quickly expand their pectoral fins, often retracting them before swimming off at speed.
Although the flying gurnard does not fly, it can "walk" on the bottom by alternatively moving its pelvic fins and short pectoral fin rays.
This Indo-Pacific species occurs from the northern Indian Ocean to Japan.
Wikipedia contributors, Spotwing flying gurnard; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T19:29:09.943317+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Dactyloptena macracantha (Bleeker, 1855)
- Name authority
- (Bleeker, 1855)
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Dactylopteriformes
- Family
- Dactylopteridae
- Genus
- Dactyloptena
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Source habitat flags: Marine: yes · Freshwater: no · Terrestrial: no. These do not form a complete habitat description.
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- gigaclassActinopterygii
- superclassActinopteri
- classTeleostei
- orderDactylopteriformes
- familyDactylopteridae Gill, 1861
- genusDactyloptena Jordan & Richardson, 1908
- speciesDactyloptena macracantha (Bleeker, 1855)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Dactyloptena. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| oriental flying gurnardDactyloptena orientalis (Cuvier, 1829) | DactylopteridaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Dactyloptena macracanthus (Bleeker, 1855) (Bleeker, 1855) | synonym |
| Dactylopterus macracanthus Bleeker, 1855 Bleeker, 1855 | synonym |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=278459 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:6BZNJ. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.