Pancake batfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pancake batfish |
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| Halieutichthys aculeatus, conventional and X-ray images | |
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The pancake batfish (Halieutichthys aculeatus) is a unique type of fish found in the deep waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. It's also known by other names like the Atlantic pancake batfish, Louisiana pancake batfish, or spiny batfish. This interesting creature belongs to a group of fish called Ogcocephalidae, which are often called deep-sea batfishes or seabats.
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What's in a Name?
The scientific name for the pancake batfish is Halieutichthys aculeatus. Let's break down what that means!
Genus Name: Halieutichthys
The first part, Halieutichthys, comes from two Greek words. "Halieutaea" is another group of fish that the pancake batfish looks similar to. "Ichthys" is the Greek word for "fish." So, it means "a fish like Halieutaea."
Species Name: aculeatus
The second part of the name, aculeatus, is Latin. It means "spined" or "sharply pointed." This name describes the fish's body, which has a prickly back and edges.
What Does a Pancake Batfish Look Like?
The pancake batfish has a very flat head and body. It's shaped like a rounded disc, almost like a pancake! It also has a tail that's not too long.
Special Features
- Small Mouth: Its mouth is very tiny.
- Hidden Lure: It has a small pocket on its snout that holds a special lure, called an esca. This lure is a single bulb, and it helps the fish attract prey.
- Covered Eyes: The fish's pupils are covered, which is unusual.
- Gill Openings: Its gill openings are small and are located behind its pectoral fins.
- Fins: It has small dorsal and anal fins located near its tail. Its pectoral fins (side fins) are wide, and its pelvic fins (bottom fins) are normal-sized.
- Skin: The skin has large, bumpy spots called tubercles. These are like small, sharp bumps on its upper body. However, the underside of the fish and large parts of its top are smooth without these bumps.
- Color: This fish has two thin black stripes on its pectoral fins. Its upper body has a fine, net-like pattern made of dark spots.
Size
Pancake batfish are quite small. Adults usually grow to about 7 centimeters (about 2.7 inches) long. The longest one ever recorded was about 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) long.
Where Do They Live?
The pancake batfish lives in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean.
Location
- United States: You can find them from Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, south along the coast to the northwestern Bahamas.
- Gulf of Mexico: They are also found in the Gulf of Mexico, from the Florida Keys up to Louisiana, and even near Tabasco, Mexico.
Habitat
These fish live on the ocean floor, usually between 50 and 150 meters (about 164 to 492 feet) deep. They prefer soft, muddy or sandy bottoms. They have been found as deep as 422 meters (about 1,385 feet).
How Do They Live?
The pancake batfish is a clever hunter that waits for its food to come to it.
Hunting Style
Like other anglerfish, the pancake batfish is an "ambush predator." This means it hides and waits for its prey. It often buries itself partly in the sand or mud on the ocean floor.
What They Eat
When a small creature swims by, the batfish quickly grabs it! They mostly eat:
- Small snails
- Clams and other bivalves
- Crustaceans (like small crabs or shrimp)
- Worms called polychaetes
Sometimes, they might even catch small fish.
Life Cycle
The eggs and young larvae of the pancake batfish float in the open water. When the larvae are ready, they settle down onto the ocean floor, where they begin to change into their adult form.
