Fingered Dragonet

Dactylopus dactylopus

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Callionymiformes
Family: Callionymidae
Genus: Dactylopus
Species: Dactylopus dactylopus

The fingered dragonet (Dactylopus dactylopus) walks over sand on finger-like pelvic fin rays and flashes colourful fins. Its mottled body blends with the sand until it raises its large, patterned dorsal fin.

It grows to about 15 cm and feeds on small invertebrates it finds in the sediment. Males display their fins to rivals and females.

In the Philippines it is found on sandy and muddy slopes, a favourite of muck divers.