Aspitrigla cuculus - Red Gurnard

Taxonomy

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Scoppaeniformes

Family: Triglidae

The red gurnard is a fish of striking appearance. It is one of many interesting species that feature in angling catches made around the coast of Wales.

These are the smallest of the three gurnard species commonly encountered around thecoast of Wales, and like other gurnards they are essentially bottom feeders. Sandy areas are their favoured haunts, and they feed mainly on worms and small crustaceans.

The Welsh record for rod-caught red gurnard stands at 1lb 6oz (approx 0.7kg); it is held by a fish caught off the North Wales coast in 1986.

A worm bait kept held on the bottom is as good as anything if you want to try to catch one of these brightly-coloured small fish.

The genereic name is also spelt Aspitriglia in many reference sources