Brazilian batfish

The Brazilian batfish or Seadevil, Ogcocephalus vespertilio, is a species of batfish. Its distribution includes the western Atlantic, from the Antilles to Brazil,[1] more specifically on the coast of Brazil, occurring from the Amazon River to La Plata River[2] This species grows to a length of 30.5 centimetres (12.0 in) TL.

Brazilian batfish
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Lophiiformes
Family:
Ogcocephalidae
Genus:
Ogcocephalus
Species:
O. vespertilio
Binomial name
Ogcocephalus vespertilio

It lives on the ocean-floor, covered in sand. The fish are flat, resembling pancakes. It preys on bottom-dwelling invertebrates.

These fish are nocturnal, and typically prey on other bottom-dwelling organisms in the early morning.[2] The Brazilian Batfish stays stationary and hidden in rock holes and other small crevices during the day.[2]

While active, it searches for prey walking along the bottom with the help of its specialized paired fins, with the illicium protracted and oscillating or exploring the substrate. The prey are either snapped up from the bottom, after visual detection, or dug out with use of the mouth and rostrum. It feeds on crustaceans (hermit crabs, true crabs, shrimps, amphipods, porcelain crabs, isopods and mysid shrimps), molluscs (snails, sea slugs and clams), polychaete worms (mostly Errantia) and echinoderms (sea urchins and brittle stars). [2]

This species can be found in the aquarium trade.

References
  • "Ogcocephalus vespertilio". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 14 February 2007.
  1. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Ogcocephalus vespertilio" in FishBase. February 2006 version.
  2. Gibran, FZ; Castro, RMC (September 1999). "Activity, Feeding Behaviour and Diet of Ogcocephalus Vespertilio in Southern West Atlantic". Journal of Fish Biology. 55 (3): 588–595. doi:10.1006/jfbi.1999.1019.
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