What are Sea Robins?

Sept. 29, 2024

In a new study, researchers have uncovered new insights into evolutionary adaptations by examining the unusual "walking" abilities of sea robins, bottom-dwelling fish that use leg-like appendages to navigate the ocean floor.

About Sea Robins:

Sea robins belong to a family of ray-finned fish called Triglids, which inhabit diverse habitats ranging from shallow salt marshes to deep oceans around the world.
They are found in warm and temperate seas of the world.
Most Triglidae fish are benthic specialists that spend much of their time on the ocean bottom, where they hunt in the sand for fish, crustaceans, and other invertebrates.
To facilitate their benthic lifestyle, sea robins have evolved a number of bizarre traits, the most iconic of which are their six leg-like appendages.
They are elongated fish with armoured bony heads and two dorsal fins.
Sea Robins get their name from their large wing-like pectoral fins.
- When excited or threatened, the Sea Robin will fan these fins out to look bigger and help it to blend in with the sandy bottom.
- These fins open and close while the fish swims much like a bird in flight.
Some sea robins are scaly; the bodies of others are covered with bony plates.
They are usually brightly coloured, and some have ornately patterned pectoral fins.
They are also vocal and can produce audible soundswith their swim bladders and certain attached muscles.