WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Cubifrons Batfish

Ogcocephalus cubifrons

Also known as: Deepsea Batfish, Handfish, Polka-dot Batfish, Sea Bat, Spotted Batfish, Walking Batfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2015
Adult
@heraldothompson · Phil Foster Park, United States · September 20151 / 1
01

Overview

Found singly, resting on mud, rock, rubble and sandy bottoms, or partially covered in mud and sand, close to reef edges.

These batfishes with their depressed circular/triangular bodies are poor swimmers and have adapted for a life style of crawling about on the sea floor using their pelvic fins and arm like Pectoral fins. They have a small lure on their snout to attract their prey, the lure becomes shorter with age.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
spots
Body shape
legsskin tags

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Central Atlantic
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly, resting on mud, rock, rubble and sandy bottoms, or partially covered in mud and sand, close to reef edges.

04

Adult photos 1

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderLophiiformes
    5. familyOgcocephalidae
    6. genusOgcocephalus
    7. speciesOgcocephalus cubifrons (Richardson, 1836)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Batfishes (Ogcocephalidae)