Home · Triglidae · Grey gurnard
Grey gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus) — Triglidae

Grey gurnard

Eutrigla gurnardus
Family: Triglidae
LC · Least Concern

The Grey gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus) is a saltwater fish of the family Triglidae that grows up to 60 cm.

Length
60 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
10.0–340.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The grey gurnard is a bottom fish of the family Triglidae reaching about 60 cm. The elongate, grey-brown body has an armoured, angular head and large, fan-shaped pectoral fins. Characteristic are the three separate, finger-like lower pectoral rays on each side, with which the fish 'walks' over the bottom as if on legs and feels for prey in the sand. Using a special swim-bladder muscle it can make growling or grunting sounds. The species lives on sand and mud bottoms of the north-eastern Atlantic, the North Sea and the Mediterranean. It hunts shrimps, crabs, small crustaceans and small fish. The grey gurnard is a much-caught bycatch and food fish with firm white flesh.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Grey gurnard?

The Grey gurnard has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Grey gurnard live?

The Grey gurnard lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Grey gurnard get?

The Grey gurnard grows to a maximum of about 60 cm. On average the species is around 30 cm.

Is the Grey gurnard dangerous to humans?

No, the Grey gurnard is harmless to humans.

Is the Grey gurnard edible?

Yes, the Grey gurnard is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Grauwe poon sourced
English name
Grey gurnard verified
Scientific name
Eutrigla gurnardus
Family
Triglidae
Other names
Grey gurnard verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
60.0 verified
Average length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped verified
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater verified
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
10.0 verified
Max depth (m)
340.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore verified
Social behaviour
Small groups verified
Territorial
No verified
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes verified
Sexual dimorphism
No verified

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten verified
Fishing method
Bodemvissen vanaf boot of kant met zeepier, garnaal of stukjes vis; bijt vlot en wordt vaak als bijvangst gevangen sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Triglidae

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