ACAXTHOPTERYGII 70 1 



finger-like appendages of the pectoral fins, which are employed 

 to feel the ground in search of crustaceans and other small 

 animals on which they feed ; also for the grunting sounds which 

 they utter by the contraction of the air-bladder. About 50 

 species are known, referable to 4 genera : Prionotus, Trigla, 

 Lepidotrigla, Peristedion. Fossil remains referred to Trigla 

 have been found in Miocene and later formations. British 

 species are the Grey Gurnard (Trigla gurnardus), the Red 

 Gurnard (T. cuculus), the Tub or Sapphirine Gurnard (T. hirundo], 

 the Piper (T. lyra\ the Long-finned Gurnard (T. obscura), and 

 the Streaked Gurnard (T. lineata). 



Fam. 11. Dactylopteridae. Head completely cuirassed ; 

 basis cranii simple ; parietal bones meeting on the median line ; 

 two nostrils on each side. Gill -cleft broadly separated by scaly 

 isthmus; gills 4; pseudobranchiae present. Vertebrae 20-22 

 (8-9 + 12-13), the first very elongate and formed by the fusion 



FIG. 426. Dadylopterus vnlitans. (After Gill.) $ nat. size. 



of three or four ; ribs sessile, no transverse processes. Post- 

 temporal fused with the skull ; no supraclavicle ; scapula and 

 coracoid well developed, in contact with each other ; pectoral 

 rays divided into two parts, inserted on the scapula and on 4 

 elongate pterygials, of which 3 are in contact with the coracoid. 

 Ventral fins close together, with 1 spine and 4 soft rays. 

 Spinous dorsal shorter than the soft ; anal without spines. Body 

 covered with hard, rough scales. 



The " Flying Gurnards," of which four species are known, 

 belonging to a single genus (Dadylopterus), are inhabitants of the 

 tropical and warm parts of the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean 

 and Archipelago. They are remarkable, when adult, for the 



