Species: Ogcocephalus nasutus, Shortnose Batfish

Ogcocephalus nasutus (Cuvier, 1829)

Shortnose Batfish

Head depressed; disc triangular; snout pointed, rostrum a well developed horn, very variable in length and contour (ranging from a short knob to a thick-based cone to long and finger-like), usually points up but tip may point down; fish-lure with 3 fleshy points, in a small cavity under horn; eyes on sides of head; mouth moderate, width 55-71% of head depth; spine at lower rear corner of operculum blunt; 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, skin on underside of rays thick and spongy, forming pads near tips of rays, fin membrane thick and opaque, 12-13 rays; skin covered dorsal fin on tail, small fleshy anal fin (usually 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; 7-8 lateral line scales under operculum, 3 above top jaw, 9 along cheek.

Color variable – blackish to grey-brown to pale grey to reddish brown above; may be uniform colored or with a network pattern (of dark, pale bordered blotches) of varying extent on face, in a narrow band along shoulders and along sides of tail base; pectoral fin of uniform color, sometimes with dark edges; tail fin dark, with a broad pale bar across its center; lips brown to reddish; rostrum usually with a diffuse dark ring near its tip; underside and mouth may be red.

Reaches 38 cm.

Habitat soft bottoms.

Depth range: 0-305 m.

S Florida to E Venezuela.