Fogtownboy
Registered
Does anyone have info on where to see flying gurnards when diving Maui? We love diving Maui but in five years I have yet to see one. TIA.
Flying Gurnard Maui?
- Thread starter Fogtownboy
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Pretty sure Flying Gurnards only indigenous to the Atlantic Ocean. However there are
Oriental Flying Gurnard (aka Helmet Gurnard) - Flying Gurnard (Dactyloptena orientalis)
Seen in 1.22% of all REEF surveys in the HAW region. So only once every 80 surveys or so. Once you click on the link below, hit the "expand all" button to see the exact sites of were they have been observed by REEF surveyors.Distribution Report | Reef Environmental Education Foundation
PS You can do this for any species of fish in all ten regions where REEF surveys have been submitted. Go to www.reef.org, click programs, click explore database/create reports. You can also go to www.inaturalist.org put the species in the search box, and hit map. Zoom on Maui in the link below.
mcohen1021
Contributor
It was random, but Maui is where we saw them, I do not recall a site name.
Dan
Contributor
I have seen them in Indonesia. So they are in Pacific Ocean too.Pretty sure Flying Gurnards only indigenous to the Atlantic Ocean. However there are
Oriental Flying Gurnard (aka Helmet Gurnard) - Flying Gurnard (Dactyloptena orientalis)
Seen in 1.22% of all REEF surveys in the HAW region. So only once every 80 surveys or so. Once you click on the link below, hit the "expand all" button to see the exact sites of were they have been observed by REEF surveyors.
Distribution Report | Reef Environmental Education Foundation
PS You can do this for any species of fish in all ten regions where REEF surveys have been submitted. Go to www.reef.org, click programs, click explore database/create reports. You can also go to www.inaturalist.org put the species in the search box, and hit map. Zoom on Maui in the link below.
To be clear there are five species of "Flying Gurnard" according to Inaturalist. Notice the only one with the common name "Flying Gurnard" is the one indigenous to the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. As opposed to "______ Flying Gurnard" which are all indigenous to Pacific or Indian Oceans. Thusly my statement "Pretty sure Flying Gurnards only indigenous to the Atlantic Ocean." Obviously the common names cause some confusion. Nevertheless, the OP has a list of sites from REEF where "Oriental Flying Gurnards" have been observed in Maui.
Flying Gurnard - (Dactylopterus volitans) Indigenous to Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Oriental Flying Gurnard - (Dactylopena orientalis) Indigenous to Pacific and Indian Oceans
Mottled Flying Gurnard - (Dactylopena macracantha) Indigenous to Pacific and Indian Oceans
One Spine Flying Gurnard - (Dactylopena petersenis) Indigenous to Pacific and Indian Oceans
Large Spot Flying Gurnard - (Dactylopena papilio) Indigenous to Pacific Ocean
Stefan Liden
Registered
Didn't see them in Maui but many times in Magic Island Lagoon at Ala Moana beach park on Oahu. I studied marine biology and found this little oasis of different marine life and studied it quite a bit. Not the best visibility but very cool dive if marine life is the objective. 
OP
Fogtownboy
Registered
Thank you everyone for all the great info! I appreciate it, as always!
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