Also known as the helmet gurnard, grunt fish and batfish, the flying gurnard is a beautiful and peculiar species of fish. It has bright, colourful fan-like “wings” which are its big pectoral fins. The front part of their unusual pectoral fins looks like the foot of an amphibian; thus, the flying gurnard may appear like a member of the lizard family. It also has prominently large eyes rimmed with a bright orange colour.

The flying gurnard’s body is elongated and greenish or brownish in colour; it has yellowish or reddish patches. Its blunt and huge head is covered with bony plates or scute-like scales that have sharp keels. It has a single dorsal fin ray found at the nape of its neck. The flying gurnard possesses 6 anal soft rays, 7 dorsal spines and no anal spine.