Red gurnard.
Red gurnard are found on or near the seabed throughout parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
They are found around the entire New Zealand coast (except southern fiords). They are most abundant north of the Chatham Rise in shallow waters, less than 55 metres, over a sandy or muddy seabed.
Red gurnard live to about 16 years and reach sexual maturity at two-three years of age when they are around 23 cm (from the nose to the fork in the tail). At that time their growth rate slows and they gradually reach a maximum length of around 42 cm.
Females grow faster and larger than males, but growth also varies by location. Red gurnard off the east coast of the South Island grow faster than those in other areas.
Red gurnard use their pectoral fins for ‘walking’, as feelers, and to scare their prey into the open where they are eaten. Red gurnard eat crabs and shrimps, small fish and worms. Original public domain image from Flickr