Ogcocephalus porrectus

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Ogcocephalus porrectus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lophiiformes
Family: Ogcocephalidae
Genus: Ogcocephalus
Species:
O. porrectus
Binomial name
Ogcocephalus porrectus
Garman, 1899

Ogcocephalus porrectus, the rosy-lipped batfish, is endemic to Cocos Island off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Though members of Ogcocephalidae occur in tropical, warm waters in both the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. Rosy-lipped batfish generally reside in shallow to deep water benthic zones with a bathymetric range of 35 – 150 m. The syntypic series was collected at 120 m on a rocky bottom. What makes this fish distinctive are its rosy red lips, specialized pectoral fins used for "walking", and an illicium used for attracting prey.

Contents

Physical description

The most distinctive structure of Ogcocephalus porrectus is its illicium, which is thought to be derived from its dorsal fin spine as it is in most Lophiiformes. [2] The anterior tip of the illicium bears a fleshy organ known as the esca, which appears as two bulbous lobes in O. porrectus. [2] Ogcocephalus porrectus, along with other members of the Ogcocephalidae, only possess two bony elements in the illicium, in contrast to other sub-orders in the Lophiiformes. [2] O. porrectus does not possess the posterior dorsal spine, and the anterior spine is very short and housed within the esca. [2] The illicium and esca are contained within an illicial cavity covered in a scaleless skin. [3] The illicial cavity is covered by an overhanging shelf-like triangular rostrum, which is made of modified scales and is equal in length to the width of the skull. [3] When the illicium is retracted the scaleless skin folds in an accordion-like shape, which allows for the forward and downward movement of the esca upon protrusion.

Rosy-lipped batfish are dorsoventrally flattened, slightly concave anterior-laterally with a depressed head but well-elevated cranium in relation to the discoid body. The sides of the caudal region are slightly convex so that a cross-section of the region is triangular. They possess well-developed conical, stiff scales that overlap very little. They have three types of scales: a simple cone-shaped spine-tipped scale, known as a tubercle; a buckler, which is a multi-spined cone-shaped scale with the spines proceeding from the apex in a direct line down the scale; and a scale associated with the lateral line system. [3] Ogcocephalus porrectus is covered mostly by bucklers, which afford it armor-like protection. The distinctive scale on the lateral line system has a hole in the cup-shaped bottom through which the spinal nerve reaches the neuromast and has prongs extending upwards allowing for sheaths of epidermis to cover and protect the neuromast. The lateral line system includes three series tracing the lips, cheeks, and eyes of the expanded head, and a series extending the length of the body beginning posterior to the eyes, down the dorsal disk to the base of the caudal fin. [3]

The standard length of the lectotype is 147 mm, but this was the largest of the syntypes. The syntypes, as designated by Garman (1899), have an average standard length of 73.5 mm.

The mouth is terminal and minute, conical teeth are in bands on the jaws, palatines, and vomer. The gill openings are small and are found dorsally on the posterior region of the discoid body. The rosy-lipped batfish only has two and a half gills, with none appearing on the reduced first gill arch.

Ogcocephalus porrectus has 2 or 3 dorsal fin rays and 14 pectoral fin rays. [4] The pectoral fins are angled horizontally and splayed out at the posterior end of the disk. They resemble and serve as a supporting appendage for "walking" more so than a fin for swimming. The pelvic fins are much reduced and found ventrally on the disk and anterior to the pectoral fins. The anal fin is small and elongate.

Preserved specimens are usually pale, but a pair of distinct dark blotches are found near the middle of the disk and are about as long as the snout. [4] Though Garman (1899) described specimens as olivaceous dorsally and white ventrally, Hubbs (1958) and Bradbury (1980) report a vivid range of reddish colors on the dorsal side, including the fins and lips, hence their common name.

Food habits

The esca of O. porrectus is not thought to visually attract prey, but there is evidence that O. cubifrons excretes a chemical attractant from the esca to lure prey. [5] Batfish species mainly consume small benthic invertebrates. [5] Hubbs (1958) denoted small molluscs, snails and crabs, as the main diet of O. darwini.

Other comments

Garman first described Ogcocephalus porrectus in 1899. [6] His description was based upon four specimens designated as syntypes. [7] In 1958, C.L. Hubbs designated the largest of the syntypes as the holotype, but this was revised in 1962 by Bradbury, who changed the designation to lectotype and thereby designating the others paralectotypes.

Derouen et al. (2015) concluded that Ogcocephalidae diverged within the Lophiiformes about 54 million years ago and originated in the disphotic zone at the area of transition between the continental shelf and slope. Based on fossil calibrated molecular phylogeny, they also determined the Eastern Pacific and Western Atlantic lineages of Ogcocephalus species are monophyletic and the sister taxon of Antennarioidei within the Lophiiformes. [8]

This species is not listed as threatened or endangered, although there is significant risk as by-catch.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ogcocephalidae</span> Family of fishes (anglerfish)

Ogcocephalidae is a family of anglerfish specifically adapted for a benthic lifestyle of crawling about on the seafloor. Ogcocephalid anglerfish are sometimes referred to as batfishes, deep-sea batfishes, handfishes, and seabats. They are found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. They are mostly found at depths between 200 and 3,000 m, but have been recorded as deep as 4,000 m (13,000 ft). A few species live in much shallower coastal waters and, exceptionally, may enter river estuaries.

<i>Ogcocephalus vespertilio</i> Species of fish

Ogcocephalus vespertilio, the Brazilian batfish or seadevil, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Oceean. The Brazilian batfsish is the type species of the genus Ogcocephalus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-lipped batfish</span> Species of fish

The red-lipped batfish or Galápagos batfish is a fish of unusual morphology found around the Galápagos Islands and off Peru at depths of 3 to 76 m (Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel 2016). Red-lipped batfish are closely related to rosy-lipped batfish, which are found near Cocos Island off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. This fish is mainly known for its bright red lips. Batfish are not good swimmers; they use their highly adapted pectoral, pelvic and anal fins to "walk" on the ocean floor. When the batfish reaches maturity, its dorsal fin becomes a single spine-like projection.

<i>Ogcocephalus parvus</i> Species of fish

Ogcocephalus parvus, the roughback batfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the batifishes. This species has a wide distribution in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Halieutopsis</i> Genus of fishes

Halieutopsis is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes beloning to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. The species in this genus are found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Malthopsis</i> Genus of fishes

Malthopsis, the gnome batfishes or triangular batfishes, is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. The triangular batfishes are distributed throughout the warmer waters of the world, although they are absent from the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. The genus was originally proposed in 1891 by the British naturalist Alfred W. Alcock.

<i>Dibranchus</i> Genus of fishes

Dibranchus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. The fishes in this genus are widely distributed in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Ogcocephalus</i> Genus of fishes

Ogcocephalus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. The species in this genus are found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Western Atlantic Ocean, with most species in the eastern Atlantic Ocean where they live at shallower depths than the other ogcocephalid genera.

Solocisquama is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. The species in this genus are benthic fishes found in deep waters in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Ogcocephalus corniger</i> Species of fish

Ogcocephalus corniger, the longnose batfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. This fish is found at depths between 29 and 230 m in the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from North Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas. Like other members of the family Ogcocephalidae, it has a flat triangular body with coloring varying from yellowish to purple with pale, round spots. The lips are orange-red. Projecting from its head is a characteristic structure that is shared by other anglerfish.

Halieutichthys bispinosus, the two-spine batfish or spiny batfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes or seabats. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Ogcocephalus notatus</i> Species of fish

Ogcocephalus notatus, the marked batfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. It is found in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean.

Halieutopsis ingerorum, Ingers' deepsea batfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. This fish is found in the western Indian Ocean.

<i>Ogcocephalus declivirostris</i> Species of fish

Ogcocephalus declivirostris, the slantbrow batfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from the northern Gulf of Mexico to the Straits of Florida.

<i>Ogcocephalus pantostictus</i> Species of fish

Ogcocephalus pantostictus, the spotted batfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, somewhat restricted to the northern and the western Gulf of Mexico.

<i>Ogcocephalus pumilus</i> Species of fish

Ogcocephalus pumilus, the dwarf batfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean. It is the smallest species in the genus Ogcocephalus.

Ogcocephalus rostellum, the palefin batfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Ogcocephalus cubifrons</i> Species of fish

Ogcocephalus cubifrons, the spotted batfish or polka-dot batfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. This is an uncommon demersal fish found in the Western Atlantic Ocean and the southern Gulf of Mexico, in the United States, Mexico and the Bahamas.

<i>Ogcocephalus nasutus</i> Species of fish

Ogcocephalus nasutus, the shortnose batfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes. This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caribbean batfish</span> Species of fish

The Caribbean batfish, also known as the two-spine batfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ogcocephalidae, the deep sea batfishes or seabats. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

References

  1. ↑ Lea, B.; Béarez, P.; McCosker, J. (2010). "Ogcocephalus porrectus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T183315A8092211. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183315A8092211.en . Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bradbury, M.G. 1967. The genera of batfishes (Family Ogcocephalidae). Copeia, 2: 399-422. DOI: 10.2307/1442130
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bradbury, M.G. 1980. A revision of the fish genus Ogcocephalus with descriptions of new species from the Western Atlantic ocean (Ogcocephalidae:Lophiiformes). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 42 (7): 229-285.
  4. 1 2 Hubbs, C.L. 1958. Ogcocephalus darwini, a new batfish endemic at the Galapagos Islands. Copeia 3: 161-170. DOI: 10.2307/1440581
  5. 1 2 Nagareda, B.H. and J.M. Shenker. 2008. Dietary analysis of batfishes (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae) in the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of Mexico Science 1: 28-35.
  6. ↑ Garman, S. 1899. Reports on an exploration off the west coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, and off the Galapagos Islands, in charge of Alexander Agassiz, by the U.S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross, during 1891, Lieut.-Commander Z.L. Tanner, U.S.N., Commanding. XXVI. The Fishes. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College. 24: 86-88.
  7. ↑ Bradbury, M.G. 1962. Lectotypes of species of Ogcocephalidae selected from syntypes in the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Breviora, 166: 1-4.
  8. ↑ Derouen, V., W.B. Ludt, H. Ho, P. Chakrabarty. 2015. Examining evolutionary relationships and shifts in depth preferences in batfishes (Lophiiformes:Ogcocephalidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 84: 27-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2014.12.011
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