Ogcocephalus radiatus

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Ogcocephalus radiatus
Polka-Dot Batfish.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lophiiformes
Family: Ogcocephalidae
Genus: Ogcocephalus
Species:
O. radiatus
Binomial name
Ogcocephalus radiatus
(Mitchill, 1818) [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Lophius radiatus Mitchill, 1818

Ogcocephalus radiatus or the polka-dot batfish is an arrow-shaped fish in the family Ogcocephalidae with an elongated thin tail. It is dorso-ventrally flattened with round pectoral fins that sit flat on the bottom of the sea floor. It uses its pectoral fins and pelvic fins to "walk" along the bottom in a side-to-side shuffling motion.

Contents

Description

The polka-dot batfish is a bottom-dwelling fish that can measure up to 380 mm (15 in) from head to tail. It is a broad, dorso-ventrally flattened, arrow-shaped fish similar in appearance to a ray. The pelvic fins are located further forward than the broad, pectoral fins which flare out on both sides, supported by arm-like stalks. The polka-dot batfish looks similar to the short-nose batfish ( Ogcocephalus nasutus ), although the pectoral fins of the polka-dot batfish are speckled with small spots whereas those of the short-nose are plain. The colouring of the polka-dot batfish is variable; it is usually brown with darker spots, some rimmed with white, and scattered patches of reddish or orangish-brown. This colouration provides camouflage as the fish lies on the seabed waiting for prey. The top of the head and body are covered in tubercles, giving it a rough texture and warty appearance; it does not have scales. The polka-dot batfish has an elongated rostrum (a unicorn-like projection between the eyes) on its large bony head. The dorsal fin has become modified to a single spine located under the rostrum. [2]

Distribution

The polka-dot batfish is native to the Atlantic coast of the United States with its range extending from North Carolina to Florida, the Bahamas and the Campeche Bank off the coast of Mexico. They have been found in waters up to 70 m (230 ft) deep, but most are found at shallower depths. It is a benthic (bottom dweller) fish, usually found on sandy or muddy seabeds, coral rubble or seagrass meadows. [2]

Behaviour

The polka-dot batfish preys on juvenile fish, crabs, shrimps, molluscs, and worms. It hunts by clinging to the bottom with its pectoral fins and wiggling the moveable, modified dorsal fin beneath its rostrum to attract prey. [2] The rostrum also contains a chemical that helps attract the prey. [3] When the prey is sufficiently close, it snatches the victim with its circular mouth. They sit and wait for their prey to come to them instead of chasing after their prey. They are very stealthy and stalk their prey before attacking. If approached by predators, the batfish bury themselves in the sand with their pectoral fins or scurry across the ocean bottom like a crab. [4]

Related Research Articles

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

Ogcocephalus vespertilio, the Brazilian batfish or seadevil, is a species of batfish. Its distribution includes the western Atlantic, from the Antilles to Brazil, more specifically on the coast of Brazil, occurring from the Amazon River to La Plata River This species grows to a length of 30.5 centimetres (12.0 in) TL.

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<i>Lophius americanus</i> Species of fish

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Red-lipped batfish Species of fish

The red-lipped batfish or Galapagos batfish is a fish of unusual morphology found around the Galapagos Islands and off Peru at depths of 3 to 76 m. 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.

Lophichthys boschmai, also known as Arafura frogfish or Boschma's frogfish, is a species of anglerfishes closely related to frogfish. L. boschmai is the only species in the Lophichthydae family. L. boschmai were first reported by Marinus Boseman in 1964 to the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, now known as National Museum of Natural History in Leiden. The species was named after Dutch zoologist, Hildbrand Boschma.

Rex sole Species of fish

The rex sole is a flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae. Locally, it may also be known as a witch or threadfin sole. It is a demersal fish that lives in temperate waters on sand or mud bottoms at depths of up to 900 metres (3,000 ft), though it is most commonly found between 61 and 500 metres. Its native habitat is the northern Pacific, from Baja California in Mexico up the coasts of the United States, British Columbia and Alaska, across the Bering Sea to the coast of Russia and the Sea of Japan. It is slow-growing, reaching up to 60 centimetres (24 in) in length, and it can weigh up to 2.0 kilograms (4.4 lb). Maximum reported lifespan is 24 years.

<i>Inimicus didactylus</i> Species of fish

Inimicus didactylus, also known as sea goblin, demon stinger or devil stinger, is a Western Pacific member of the Inimicus genus of venomous fishes, closely related to the true stonefishes. It can reach a body length of 25 cm (10 in) and is irregularly surfaced with spines and a knobby appearance. The fish has venomous spines to ward off enemies. The fish are nocturnal, and often dig themselves partially into the sandy seabed during the day. The body is red or sandy yellow and well camouflaged on sandy and coral seabeds.

<i>Ogcocephalus</i> Genus of fishes

Ogcocephalus is an anglerfish genus in the "batfish" family Ogcocephalidae.

<i>Inimicus filamentosus</i> Species of fish

Inimicus filamentosus, also known as the filament-finned stinger, barred ghoul, two-stick stingfish, or devil scorpionfish, is a member of the Inimicus genus of venomous fishes. It is a member of the Synanceiidae family of the Scorpaeniformes order of ray-finned fishes. These benthic fishes are found on sandy or silty substrates of lagoon and seaward reefs, in coastal regions of tropical oceans. Like all the other known species of Inimicus, I. filamentosus is a demersal ambush predator. They are nocturnal, and often dig themselves partially into the sandy seabed during the day.

The Louisiana pancake batfish, Halieutichthys intermedius, belongs to the batfish family Ogcocephalidae. It is native to the Gulf of Mexico, and was discovered in 2010. The known range of the species lies within the area of the Gulf of Mexico which was affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

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

Ogcocephalus notatus, the oval batfish, is a species of batfish in the family Ogcocephalidae. It is found in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean.

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.

<i>Dibranchus atlanticus</i> Species of fish

The Atlantic batfish is a species of fish in the family Ogcocephalidae. It is found in deep water in the Atlantic Ocean where it lives on the seabed, feeding on small invertebrates.

References

  1. 1 2 Bailly, Nicolas (2013). "Ogcocephalus radiatus (Mitchill, 1818)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  2. 1 2 3 Patton, Casey. "Polka-dot batfish". Ichthyology. Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  3. Nagareda, B. H.; Shenker, J. M. (2009). "Evidence for chemical luring in the polka-dot batfish Ogcocephalus cubifrons (Teleostei: Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae)". Florida Scientist. 72 (1): 11.
  4. Nagareda, B. H.; Shenker, J. M. (2008). "Dietary analysis of batfishes (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae) in the Gulf of Mexico". Gulf of Mexico Science. 26 (1): 28–35.