Little dragonfish

Little dragonfish
Eurypegasus draconis, conventional and X-ray images
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gasterosteiformes
Family: Pegasidae
Genus: Eurypegasus
Species: E. draconis
Binomial name
Eurypegasus draconis
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Synonyms
  • Cataphractus draco Gronow, 1854
  • Europegasus draconis (Linnaeus, 1766) (misspelling)
  • Pegassus draco Shaw, 1804 (misspelling)
  • Pegasus draco Shaw, 1804
  • Pegasus draconis Linnaeus, 1766
  • Pegasus latirostris Richardson, 1846
  • Pegasus pauciradiatus Ogilby, 1886
  • Pegasus umitengu (Jordan & Snyder, 1901)
  • Surypegasus draconis (Linnaeus, 1766)
  • Zalises draconis (Linnaeus, 1766)
  • Zalises umitengu Jordan & Snyder, 1901

The little dragonfish or short dragonfish (Eurypegasus draconis) is a species of marine fish in the family Pegasidae. It is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea.[1][2][3]

The little dragonfish can grow up to 10 cm (3.9 in) length. It sheds its skin in one piece. Millions of these kind of fish are sold for traditional medicine each year in China and Hong Kong alone.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Sorensen, M.& Vincent, A. (2010). Eurypegasus draconis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-1.RLTS.T8407A12909735.en
  2. ↑ Common names of Eurypegasus draconis. Fishbase
  3. ↑ Poisson-pégase Eurypegasus draconis (Linnaeus, 1766). ffessm.fr
  4. ↑ Eurypegasus draconis Short Dragonfish. Encyclopedia of Life
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