Genus: Ogcocephalus, Batfishes, Common Batfish

OGCOCEPHALUS

BATFISHES

Head depressed but elevated above disk; disc triangular; snout pointed, with a horn-like rostrum (short to very long) projecting well forward before eyes; fish-lure with 3 fleshy points, in a small cavity under horn; spine at lower rear corner of operculum blunt or little developed, or if large without spinelets; gill rakers are oval plates covered with small teeth; eyes on sides of head; 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 covered dorsal fin on tail, small fleshy anal fin 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.

This genus occurs on both side of the Atlantic and the eastern Pacific; 9 species entering shallow water in the Greater Caribbean, 5 endemics, 3 W Atlantic and 1 NW Atlantic.