Echidna Introduction

The Red-lipped batfish is an odd looking species of fish in the anglerfish family which gets its name from the pronounced red colouring around its mouth and its flat, bat like body. Also called the Galapagos batfish, it makes its home primarily in the ocean surrounding the Galapagos Islands as well as near Peru, but it has been known to wash up elsewhere in the pacific. The Red-lipped batfish is a mottled greyish brown on its back with a lighter-coloured underside and often a dark stripe down its spine. The distinctive red lips are thought to be a way for Red-lipped batfish to identify each other for spawning, but biologists have also speculated that their lips act as a lure to attract prey toward their mouth. Although it is a fish, it is not a particularly good swimmer. Instead of swimming, the Red-lipped batfish moves by walking on the ocean floor using its specially adapted lower fins. It often uses its two front fins to prop itself up like a tripod and survey its surroundings. It has been found living in depths of anywhere from three to 76 meters below the surface of the ocean. The red-lipped batfish is primarily a piscivore, which means its diet consists mainly of smaller fish, but it also feeds on the occasional insect and other small sea-dwelling creatures. The Red-lipped batfish’s forehead has a protruding knob called an illicium, and when the dorsal fin matures it extends even farther—a spine-like growth on the top of the head. This illicium is thought to also act as a lure for small prey. In addition, the Red-lipped batfish possesses a glowing lure at the top of the illicium which helps to reveal its lure to other fish in the dark depths of the ocean floor. This glowing lure is called an esca. This unique hunting tactic is just one of the many interesting things about the Red-lipped batfish that allow it to survive in its strange environment. While the Red-lipped batfish faces no specific threats, warming oceans and loss of habitat could negatively impact the batfish population in the Galapagos. For now, the Red-lipped batfish is safe.