Genus: Halieutichthys, Pancake Batfish, Batfishes, Seabats

HALIEUTICHTHYS

BATFISHES, SEABATS

Head and body very depressed, greatly expanded to form a circular disc;  tail moderately long; mouth very small; cavity on snout for lure very small, blocked by puffy folds of membrane; lure a single central bulb; a cover over pupils; buckler at angle of operculum not larger than adjacent bucklers; gill openings small, behind upper base of pectoral fin; gill rakers in form of tiny pads of teeth set on low stalks; dorsal and anal fins small, at rear of body; pectoral fins 16-19;  base of pectoral fins broadly attached to tail base; pelvic fins not reduced in size; lateral line complete, plus a pair of lateral line organs on base of tail behind anus, no tubercles associated with lateral line; scales are large, irregular, pitted bucklers; adults with no scales under body and large areas of top of body without scales.

A W Atlantic genus with 4 species, all found in our area.