Triazeugacanthus affinis (Miles 1966; Chevrinais, Sire and Cloutier 2017, Early Devonian; 380 mya; up to 5.2cm) is a small acanthodian basal to flying gurnards like Dactylopterus.

Nerepisacanthus denisoni (Burrow 2011; Middle Silurian, 13cm long) is the oldest near-complete acanthodian. Long tabulars readily identify this genus as a relative of Dactylopterus.

Dactylopterus volitans (Linneaus 1758; 50 cm) is the extant flying gurnard, a bottom-feeder living in warm shallow seas. Typically Dactylopterus is allied with long-snouted pipefish and seahorses. Here it nests with spiny sharks like Middle Silurian Nerepisacanthus. Dactylopterus has the remnant of a heterocercal tail in its skeleton, a primitive trait.

When startled the butterfly-like pectoral fins spread wide as the undulating tail pushes the fish away from danger. The tabulars are quite large and extend like a dorsal shield The pelvic fins are below the giant pectoral fins, convergent with more derived fish. The anterior pectoral fin rays are separate from the large fan rays and are more mobile, like sea robin (Prionotus) 'fingers', but webbed in Dactylopterus.