Fish
Common Dragonet
Callionymus lyra · also called yellow dragonet
Over a sandy bottom in spring, a male common dragonet spreads a banner of blue and yellow fin in front of a plain brown female.
Overview
The common dragonet, Callionymus lyra, is a Least Concern sand-dwelling fish of the north-eastern Atlantic, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean. Its brightly coloured males, drab females, and rising courtship display make it one of the most dramatic small fish of European sands.
A courtship in open water
At the climax of courtship the male and female swim upwards together, and release their eggs and sperm into the water at the top of the rise.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common.
Common Dragonet: common questions
Why do male and female dragonets look so different?
The male is brightly coloured, with blue and yellow markings and a very long first dorsal fin, which he uses in courtship, while the female is smaller and drab brown.
How does a dragonet court?
The male displays his fins in front of the female, and the pair then rise together in the water to release their eggs.
How does the common dragonet breathe when buried?
It has a tiny gill opening on top of its head, which allows it to breathe while partly buried in sand.
Where is the common dragonet found?
It lives on sandy and muddy bottoms of the north-eastern Atlantic, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean.