Filamentous Dragonet

The Filamentous Dragonet (Callionymus filamentosus) is a small marine fish typically found in subtropical regions of the Indo-West Pacific, ranging from the 🌊 Red Sea and 🇲🇿 Mozambique to 🇹🇼 Taiwan, and has also migrated to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal (🇪🇬 Egypt). This species inhabits coastal areas, thriving in sandy and muddy environments at depths ranging from 2 to 350 meters (6.6 to 1,148 feet), but it is most commonly found between 5 and 100 meters (16.4 to 328 feet).

These fish can grow up to a maximum length of 20 centimeters (about 8 inches). The Filamentous Dragonet displays a light brown body speckled with blackish and dark spots on its sides. Its fins feature dark brown spots, and distinctive black patterns can be observed on the males' first dorsal fin, while females have a notable black blotch on the third membrane. The fish has a total of four dorsal spines and nine dorsal soft rays, while in the anal fin it lacks spines and contains nine soft rays. The species is also characterized by a convex ventral margin on the preopercular spine.

Feeding primarily on small benthic invertebrates, the diet of the Filamentous Dragonet mainly consists of crustaceans and worms. This beautifully named fish, derived from the Greek words "kallion" for more beautiful and "onyma" for name, lives among the ocean floor, which suits its demersal lifestyle.