Callionymus maculatus

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Callionymiformes · Family: Callionymidae · Genus: Callionymus.

Accepted name: Callionymus maculatus · Authority: Rafinesque, 1810 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 126793.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Callionymus cithara Valenciennes, 1837; Callionymus maculates Rafinesque, 1810; Callionymus maculatus atlantica Ninni, 1934; Callyonimus maculatus Rafinesque, 1810.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=126793 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Callionymus maculatus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 17 cm · Depth range: 45–650 m · Habitat zone: demersal · Body shape: elongated · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: subsistence fisheries.

FishBase notes: Benthic on sandy bottoms. Feeds on small bottom invertebrates mainly worms, snails and crustaceans. Eggs and larvae pelagic (Ref. 5968).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 1807) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Callionymus-maculatus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

52,997 georeferenced occurrence records for Callionymus maculatus are published through GBIF from 24 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 361 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 11 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (15,098); Ireland (13,455); Spain (6,530); Sweden (5,589); Denmark (4,690).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2386887) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2386887&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=126793 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Callionymus maculatus Rafinesque, 1810 as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 198635) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/198635/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2386887) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2386887/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The spotted dragonet is similar in shape to the common dragonet (Callionymus lyra) but it is smaller, growing to a total length of 16 cm in males and 13 cm in females. It has a broad, flattened head and body which is flat ventrally and convex dorsally and has a round cross-section posteriorly. The large eyes are situated quite close to each other on the top of the head which has a quite large, protractile mouth. The snout is a little shorter than the diamerter of the eye, being markedly shorter than that of the common dragonet.

The preoperculum is hooked and has four spines, on pointing forwards and the remaining three point backwards. There are two high dorsal fins, taller in males than in females, and the first dorsal fin in males is a little higher than the second dorsal fin. The first dorsal fin has four rays and the second has 9–10 rays. The anal fin is similar in size to the second dorsal fin and it has a long tail.

The pectoral fin are laterally situated and the pelvic fins are fan-shaped with a broad base. Females and immature males are yellowish-brown in colour with a double row of obvious brown spots on the flanks interspersed with smaller blue spots. Along the back there are four brown saddle shaped blotches. The mature males are similar but differ in having dorsal fin with four horizontal rows of conspicuous dark spots and smaller blue spots, females having two.

Distribution

The spotted dragonet is found in the eastern North Atlantic from southern and western Iceland and Norway south to Senegal and it also occurs in the Mediterranean Sea, including the Adriatic and Aegean but it is absent from the Black Sea. In the Atlantic its range includes the Canary Islands.

Habitat and biology

The spotted dragonet is a benthic fish which lives on sand substrates. Like other species of the family Callionymidae, this species spawns in pairs and has eggs, larvae, and postlarvae which are pelagic. In a study conducted off the coast of Scotland, the spawning season of the spotted dragonet was ascertained to extend from April to September, the females reached maturity faster than males and are serial spawners, and males may reach first maturity at different ages.

The rays of the dorsal, anal and caudal fins grow at equal rates in females but grow at different rates in males after maturity has been reached. This species feeds mainly on polychaetes and amphipods, but bivalves, shrimps and brittle stars are also frequent components of its diet. Smaller specimens take more amphipods and fewer polychaetes than the larger individuals.

Human usage

The spotted dragonet is taken as bycatch but is normally discarded in the beach seine fishery on the central coast of Portugal. Dragonets are sometimes taken as bycatch in bottom trawls and marketed locally and some species are commercially used in the aquarium trade.

Source: Wikipedia: Spotted dragonet — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_dragonet (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.