NANFA-- Batfish
Noturus2_at_aol.com
Mon, 2 Aug 1999 18:09:16 EDT
I went snorkeling after work today at Rest Beach here in Key West, Florida.
The tide was low and the water is around 86 deg. There are turtle grass beds
over fine sand, I usually sweep my net through the grass and come up with
blennies, gobies, pinfish, filefish, pipefish, and grunts.
At the edge of the grass on the sand I noticed a
fish around 10" long just lying there it was black with bright yellow fins
with black polka dots. I just picked him/her up his belly was a pale yellow.
It was a polkadot batfish Ogcocephalus radiatus. It's a really neat fish the
fins are positioned like arms that it uses to slowly crawl around on the
bottom. It also has a lure on it's nose like an anglerfish. I held him for a
while then gently placed him back on the sand. He did not move away just
stayed right there. I've seen them before but they are not common.
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