Species: Ogcocephalus corniger, Longnose Batfish

Ogcocephalus corniger Bradbury, 1980

Longnose Batfish

Head depressed but elevated above disk; disc triangular; snout pointed, with a very long horn-like rostrum (0.9-1.6 in head) projecting well forward before eyes; eyes on sides of head; fish-lure with 3 fleshy points, in a small cavity under horn; spine at lower rear corner of operculum blunt or little developed, without spinelets; gill rakers are oval plates covered with small teeth; gill openings small, behind upper base of pectoral fin; dorsal and anal fins small, at rear of body; pectoral and pelvic fins limb-like; pectorals completely separated from body, with 10-11 (rarely 12 rays), skin on underside of ends of rays thick and spongy, forming pads near tips of rays, fin membrane thick and opaque; skin covered dorsal fin on tail; small fleshy anal fin (4 rays) under tail; top of body with large bucklers as well as conical spines; underside of body completely covered with pointed, bony scales; underside of tail densely covered with small prickles, with sometimes a few conical spines along midline.

Upper surface chocolate brown to dark reddish brown, covered with small pearl grey dots (the unpigmented tips of bucklers); lips bright orange-red; underside of body with orange-red wash; rostrum with a diffuse dark ring near tip; iris spotted, without radiating lines; pectorals orange to yellow to purplish, with broad dark margins, tips of rays white, pads on underside white; pelvics orange-red sometimes with dark tips; outer third of anal fin dark to black; dorsal dusky, often with 1-2 pale stripes; tail fin brown on base, orange in center, border black.

Reaches 23 cm.

Habitat soft bottoms.

Depth range: 29-253 m.

N Carolina to the S Caribbean.