Teleostei (teleosts) >
Lophiiformes (Anglerfishes) >
Ogcocephalidae (Batfishes)
Etymology: Malthopsis: Greek, malthe, es = a marine fish of soft flesh (Ref. 45335); bulla: Name from Latin 'bulla' meaning knob, referring to the flattened bucklers covering the entire body.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 143 - 1023 m (Ref. 123774), usually 143 - 320 m (Ref. 123774). Subtropical
Eastern Indian Ocean: Western Australia
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 123774)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 5 - 6. This species is distinguished by the following characters:flattened body disk, with anterior portion of skull only slightly elevated above other part of disk; small rostrum, very short rostral spine, its length 3.9%-7.6% SL, and directed obliquely to upward vertically; bucklers on body uniformly flattened without sharp apices; large naked areas on central region of dorsal disk; ventral surface of disk partly covered with large bucklers on the thoracic region and smaller bucklers on belly; thoracic region and gill cavity are naked; subopercular buckler
with an enlarged, anteriorly directed spine bearing spinelets along its margin; small orbit, its diameter x? = 12.2% SL); interorbital space broad (x? = 7.3%) SL; rostrum short (x? = 5.5%) SL; OD/IO = 1.3-2.0; OD/RL = 1.6-2.9; the anal fin does not reaching caudal-fin base when appressed; D 5-6; pectoral-fin rays 11-13 (Ref. 123774).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Ho, H.-C. and P. Last, 2021. Review of the batfish genus Malthopsis from Australia (Lophiformes: Ogcocephalidae), with descriptions of a five new species. Bull. Mar. Sci. 97(1):165-218. (Ref. 123774)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01479 (0.00517 - 0.04233), b=2.93 (2.68 - 3.18), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
