Teleostei (teleosts) >
Lophiiformes (Anglerfishes) >
Ogcocephalidae (Batfishes)
Etymology: Malthopsis: Greek, malthe, es = a marine fish of soft flesh (Ref. 45335); apis: Name from Latin 'apis' meaning bee, referring to its small, pointed rostral spine and large orbit, with both drawing resemblance to the head of a honeybee..
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 260 - 457 m (Ref. 123774). Tropical; 12°S - 32°S, 141°E - 157°E (Ref. 123774)
Western Pacific: Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 6.0 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 set of characters: rostrum short (length 6.5%-10.0% SL), pointed and needle-like, with a small base and curved slightly and directed anterodorsally; body covered with small, pointed spiny bucklers; posterior portion of
skull with 3 irregular rows of small bucklers (those in lateral rows are much larger than those in median row); broad naked areas on shoulder and gill cavity; ventral surface of disk is densely covered by small pointed bucklers, slightly larger and denser on breast than belly; the subopercular buckler with well-developed spines, with anteriormost directed forward, lateral spine directed outward, and 1-2 posteriormost spines directed backward; orbit is large, its diameter 13.8%-15.5% SL; both post-subopercular bucklers with one or more sharp spines; interorbital space narrow (3.7%-5.5% SL); OD/RL = 1.4-2.4; OD/IO = 2.7-4.2; anal fin reaching or beyond the caudal-fin base when appressed; D 5-6; pectoral-fin rays 11-13 (Ref. 123774).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | 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)
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=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
