Red-lipped batfish

The red-lipped batfish's scientific name is Ogcocepphalus Darwini. The red-lipped batfish is an unusual fish from the Galapagos Islands. The red-lipped batfish are terrible swimmers, they prefer to stroll along the ocean floor with their legs.

Body Design


The red-lipped batfish contain a long and sharp nose, which gives its appearance as if they are wearing lipstick. With their bright red lip, many scientist believe that they use this unique feature to attract the female. They have a broad head and a slight body, they also contain large gnarled lumps located around its body. The red-lipped batfish are terrible swimmer to be said, the prefer to stroll along the ocean floor with their legs. Their pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins are modified in a way in which it rest on the them. Thus they can walk on their legs due to their pectoral and pelvic fins. The red-lipped batfish normally being small, are capable to growing in length up to 40 cm long. Once it reaches adulthood, the red lipped batfish's dorsal fin becomes a single spine like projection which is used to help them lure prey. Although they are a very strange and awkward looking, the red-lipped batfish is an harmless creature. The red-lipped batfish has 4 dorsal rays and 3 anal rays They have a pronounced bony horn which is located on its forehead, on the horn is contains a few short hairs. The red-lipped batfish's skin is described as rough as sandpaper on their flattened. Besides the bright red color of this batfish, it is light white or grayish on its back and is white on the bottom. It also has a dark brown stripe or a series of blotches from top of its head to the caudal fin base located on each side.

Life Cycle


The Red-lipped batfish reproduces sexually, it lays eggs which are Pelagic larva. Their lifespan is said to be approximately up to twelve years. Similar to many other deep sea fish, the red-lipped batfish are voracious carnivores, feeding upon mainly small fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, for example shrimp and crab. With their modified dorsal fine called the illicit, which is attained during adulthood is used to attract prey. Its elongated snout provides it protection.

Ecology


The Red-lipped batfish is commonly found in the depths of the Galapagos Islands. Their habitat range is the deep waters, divers may encounter this species in the deeps of around 100 feet, although it is not common. This bottom dweller inhabits sand and rubble substrate, which they have the deepest record of sighting at being at 120 m.

Conservation


The red-lipped Batfish living in the deep darks on the ocean floor does not have any real threats. This strange creature is not used in fisheries, meaning that if it was to be caught up in a net while fishing its not much harm for its conservation. Currently there is no seen dangers to the red-lipped Batfish. This mostly likely would be true due to its deep water habitat which protects itself from oceanographic environmental changes and climate changing events.

Video
Catch a rare look at a red-lipped batfish, one of the strangest residents of the underwater kingdom off of Cocos Island. NATUREs Shark Mountain takes viewers to Cocos Island in the Pacific, where sharks of all kinds converge in staggering numbers. X9inncLXAHg