Ogcocephalus rostellum

Ogcocephalus rostellum
Palefin Batfish – Ogcocephalus rostellum
FamilyScientific NameAuthorYearCommon Name
OgcocephalidaeOgcocephalus rostellumBradbury1980Palefin Batfish

Ogcocephalus rostellum

Unique Characters: Underside of body completely covered by small prickle-like and/or rough cone-shaped scales. Pectoral-fin lobes separated from tail, forming distinct elbow. Lure prominent in cavity above mouth. Subopercular spine blunt or little developed or, if large, without spinelets. Rostrum very short in adults. Pectoral rays 12/12 to 15/15. Round dark spots either absent or, if present, restricted to center of disk on either side. Tannish with paler areas. Clusters of pale-ringed dark spots and orange blotches on shoulders. Pectoral fins unmarked and without a spotted pattern, or if spots occur, indistinctly mottled or spotted at base, becoming yellowish to pale on middle portion and pale to dark at tips.

Similar Species: Polka-dot Batfish Ogcocephalus cubifrons (Richardson, 1836). Underside of body completely covered by small prickle-like and/or rough cone-shaped scales. Pectoral-fin lobes separated from tail, forming distinct elbow. Lure prominent in cavity above mouth. Subopercular spine blunt or little developed or, if large, without spinelets. Rostrum small, knob-like. Pectoral rays 12/12 to 15/15. Round dark spots occurring over entire dorsal surface of disk and prominent on dorsal surface of pectoral fins. Tannish, brown, to reddish to grayish dorsally. Pale-ringed spots on shoulders and along sides. May have patches of yellow to orange dorsally. Pectoral fins always with wavy spots.

Ogcocephalus cubifrons
Polka-dot Batfish – Ogcocephalus cubifrons
Photo Credit: G.H. Burgess

Reference: Bradbury, M.G. 1980. A revision of the fish genus Ocgocephalus with descriptions of new species from the western Atlantic Ocean (Ogcocephalidae: Lophiiformes). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 42:229-285.

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