WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Polka-dot Batfish

Ogcocephalus radiatus

Also known as: Deep-sea Batfish, Handfish, Sea Bat, Spotted Batfish, Walking Batfish

Adult
@fishx6 · Jekyll Island, United States · June 20121 / 4
01

Overview

Found singly, either walking with their pelvic fins, resting, or partially buried, wiggling their modified dorsal fin to attract their prey, on mud, rubble and sandy bottoms 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
legs

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Country only · 4
LIVES IN

Found singly, either walking with their pelvic fins, resting, or partially buried, wiggling their modified dorsal fin to attract their prey, on mud, rubble and sandy bottoms close to reef edges.

04

Adult photos 4

05

Discussion

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

No comments yet. Seen one, or got a question about it? Start the discussion.

    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderLophiiformes
    5. familyOgcocephalidae
    6. genusOgcocephalus
    7. speciesOgcocephalus radiatus (Mitchill, 1818)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Batfishes (Ogcocephalidae)