Inktober Day 1
Inktober day 1! The red-lipped batfish is the first of our weird and wonderful animals that I’ll be sharing with you every day this month!
Now aside from the red lips and strange looking face, it’s also not the strongest swimmer and so instead uses its specially adapted fins like little legs to scurry along the ocean floor. Found in the waters around the Galápagos Islands and Peru it’s also known as the Galapagos batfish. It’s thought their red lips are to increase species recognition during spawning seasons. The red-lipped batfish attracts its prey in the same way as an anglerfish, with a lure called an illicium, which is located under its snout!
The entire range of the red-lipped batfish is within the boundaries of the Galapagos Islands Marine Protected area but population estimates are unknown. Still they’re one of the most interesting little fishes I’ve ever heard about!