Description
The dragonet has a slightly flattened body and the head is a bit triangular. It is a bottom living animal, feeding on small invertebrates. Males have a sail-like first dorsal fin, that is used during the mating (April to August). Mature males have vivid colours during the mating season. The fertilized eggs and larvae, are planktonic. Mating takes places while male and female make a vertical ascent. In Holland there is also an other smaller dragonet species, the reticulated dragonet (Callionymus reticulatus).

Size
Males grow up to a length of 300 mm and females up to 200 mm.

Colour
Males are yellowish brown with blue lines and spots, the dorsal fin is yellow with greenish blue lines. Females and immature males are light brown with six brown spots on the side and three large spots on the back.

Habitat
It is a bottom living animal and prefers sandy or muddy floors. It feeds on small invertebrates like molluscs and crustaceans.

Distribution
Eastern Atlantic from Iceland to Mauritania, the Mediterranean and the Black sea.