Polka-dot Batfish
Ogcocephalus radiatus
Also known as: Deep-sea Batfish, Handfish, Sea Bat, Spotted Batfish, Walking Batfish
- Deep-sea Batfish
- Handfish
- Sea Bat
- Spotted Batfish
- Walking Batfish
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.
How to identify
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Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
- Country only · 4
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.
Adult photos 4
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Deep dive
More in the family
Batfishes (Ogcocephalidae)




