In: Biology
Post a pic and brief description of an unusual animal you find. Tell us what is unusual about the animal.
The Red-lipped Batfish
Ogcocephalus darwini
A walking fish from the Galapagos!
This fish would make Darwin proud. In fact, the red-lipped batfish
is named after him (Ogcocephalus darwini). This unusual fish has a
lot of adaptations that make it look and act very un-fish-like.
First, its pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins are modified in such a
way that it can rest on the sea floor on them. In some cases, it
can move on its pectoral and pelvic fins as if it was walking! The
second major adaptation is the modified dorsal fin that resembles
the lures of the closely related angler fishes.
Here is a short video we made profiling the red-lipped batfish and it’s amazing ability to walk around and capture prey on the sea floor.
Where is the red-lipped batfish found?
The red-lipped batfish is most commonly found around the deep
waters of the Galapagos Islands. Similar batfish, such as the
rosy-lipped batfish are found around Cocos Island. The habitat
range for this batfish is deep waters. Divers may encounter this
fish at depths greater than 100 feet, but they are not common.
While Carl L. Hubbs (see source below) noted that a few specimens
were found in nets in California, but these sightings are highly
unusual and may very well be a different, but related, species of
batfish.What does the red-lipped batfish eat?
Like many deep sea fish, red-lipped batfish are voracious
carnivores. They use the modified dorsal spine as a lure (called an
illicium) to attract prey. It is protected by an elongated snout.
In general, they eat mainly small fish, mollusks, and crustaceans
such as shrimps and crabsThe maximum length of the red-lipped
batfish is about 40 cm long