Dactylopteridae

Dactylopterus volitans off the east coast of Crete

Flight cocks ( Dactylopteridae, ( gr ) dactylos finger, pteron wings, feathered ptēnos. ) Are one of two genera with seven species existing family of genuine bony fish ( Teleostei ). Flight cocks live in the tropical Indo-Pacific, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Their characteristic features are large, wing-like pectoral fins, which they use for food acquisition ( scarecrows ), courtship and to threaten. Fly so that they can certainly not - despite otherwise, fantastic previous trip reports, especially since they had already largest effort to rise (no swim bladder ) to the water surface.

Features

Head broad and stocky ( " bone - helmet " with keels, each with a long Praeopercularstachel ). Shield -like scales. Pectoralflossen very broadened and extended; internal radiation free (for "Running " is used ); a total of 28-37 rays. Two isolated Dorsalis spines in front of the (two) dorsal fins. Breast Permanent pelvic fins (V I / 4). No lateral line organ. 22 vertebrae. Venom glands or sekretausleitende fin spine furrows are missing.

System

As the gurnard ( Triglidae ) also indicate the Flight cocks at threat growling, grunting noises. Related to those closer they are but apparently not, as the old ( Cuviersche ) order of " Scleroparei " ( flatheads ( Scorpaeniformes ) ) is just in disarray and the air valves were asked by some researchers for quite some time in its own order, Dactylopteriformes, . Lately talk DNA comparisons for an allocation of the animals to the pipefish -like ( Syngnathiformes ).

Species

There are seven known species in two genera.

• Dactyloptena Dactyloptena gilberti, Snyder, 1909
• Dactyloptena macracantha ( Bleeker, 1854)
• Dactyloptena orientalis ( Cuvier, 1829)
• Dactyloptena papilio Ogilby, 1910
• Dactyloptena peterseni ( Nyström, 1887)
• Dactyloptena tiltoni, Eschmeyer, 1997

• Dactylopterus volitans (Linnaeus, 1758)