---
title: Pegasuses (Pegasidae)
scientific_name: Pegasidae
common_name: Pegasuses
rank: Family
published: 2024-11-19T18:41:51.573Z
updated: 2026-08-08T12:52:19.566Z
tags: Pegasuses, Pegasidae, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving
url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/pegasuses
---

# Pegasuses (*Pegasidae*)

## Quick facts

- **Rank:** Family
- **Scientific name:** Pegasidae
- **Body shape:** Bottom-dwelling - Stocky, big-headed, sits on the reef or sand rather than swims - scorpionfishes, groupers, gobies.
- **Species listed here:** 1

## How to recognise this group

- broad, depressed body encased in bony plates
- long, flattened snout
- large, horizontal fan-like pectoral fins
- crawls or 'walks' slowly on the substrate
- cryptic, mottled brown, grey, or green colouration

Pegasidae, commonly known as seamoths or pegasuses, are small, benthic fishes with broad, depressed bodies encased in four rows of bony plates. Adults grow to 7-13 cm (3-5 in) long, displaying highly cryptic, mottled brown, grey, or green colouration. They possess an elongated, flattened snout and a small, protrusible mouth. Their large, fan-like pectoral fins are held horizontally, used for slow propulsion and for 'walking' across the substrate; these prominent, wing-like fins inspired the family name Pegasidae.

These fishes inhabit sandy and silty bottoms, rubble patches, and seagrass beds at depths of 5-90 m (16-295 ft). They feed on tiny benthic invertebrates, including copepods and small crustaceans, which they extract with their protrusible mouth. Seamoths are often solitary or observed in pairs. Due to their effective camouflage and slow, bottom-dwelling habits, they are rarely encountered by divers.


## Species (1)

- [Little Dragonfish (Eurypegasus draconis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/pegasuses/little-dragonfish)

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*Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/pegasuses)*
*Updated: August 8, 2026*