Painted Dragonet
(Eocallionymus papilio)
Family: Callionymidae
"It is also
commonly known as a Stinkfish however it's not known to smell!"
The
Painted Dragonet (Eocallionymus papilio) is a small fish species that
has colourful facial and dorsal fin markings. It belongs to the fish family
know as 'Dragonets' (Callionymidae) which are also commonly referred to as 'Stinkfishes'.
Dragonets are benthic species (spend their time living and foraging on the bottom)
and will often bury themselves in the sand. The Painted Dragonet is endemic
to the waters of southern Australia from southern Western Australia (near Perth)
to southern Queensland (including NSW) and Tasmania. This fish can generally
be found living in sheltered estuaries but has also been found on coastal rocky
reefs. As it is a small species it can be difficult to find, especially as it
has the ability to blend in well with its surroundings. It is known to occur
from depths of 1 metre to 50 metres.
Males
have much brighter colours than females and the colours between individuals
can be highly variable. Males have a spotted pattern above and vertical striping
below whilst the females are also spotted above but are blotched below. Additionally,
the first dorsal fin of the male is larger and more colourful than that of the
female. Male and female Painted Dragonets have been observed coming together
on the bottom and then swimming upwards joined together as they are mating.
They rise with their ventral fins together so that they can spawn, the eggs
will float away in the water column and the larvae are planktonic. The best
place to find the Painted Dragonet is to search amongst sponge gardens and seagrass
meadows in sheltered estuaries.
The
Painted Dragonet grows to a maximum length of approximately 12cm however it
is more commonly seen at lengths of 5 to 7cm.
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The
Painted Dragonet (Eocallionymus papilio) is a small fish species that
has colourful facial and dorsal fin markings. It belongs to the fish family
know as 'Dragonets' (Callionymidae) which are also commonly referred to as 'Stinkfishes'.
Dragonets are benthic species (spend their time living and foraging on the bottom)
and will often bury themselves in the sand. The Painted Dragonet is endemic
to the waters of southern Australia from southern Western Australia (near Perth)
to southern Queensland (including NSW) and Tasmania. This fish can generally
be found living in sheltered estuaries but has also been found on coastal rocky
reefs. As it is a small species it can be difficult to find, especially as it
has the ability to blend in well with its surroundings. It is known to occur
from depths of 1 metre to 50 metres.
