Species: Ogcocephalus notatus, Marked Batfish

Ogcocephalus notatus (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1837)

Marked Batfish

Head depressed; disc triangular; snout pointed, rostrum a bluntly pointed shelf, juveniles with a short horn; fish-lure with 3 fleshy points, in a small cavity under horn; eyes on sides of head; pupil oval, without a cover at top; mouth wide (width 71-100% of head depth); spine at lower rear corner of operculum blunt, little developed; gill rakers are oval plates covered with small teeth; gill openings small, behind upper base of pectoral fin; 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 (almost always 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; 4 above top jaw, 10 along cheek.

Grey brown, tips of bucklers paler; 1-7 paired clusters of dark, pale-edged spots along disc edge; sometimes with dark rings on top surface and sides of tail; pectorals with dark edges, tips of rays pale.

Reaches 17 cm.

Habitat soft bottoms, also found in estuaries.

Depth range: 15-172 m.

Colombia to S Brazil.