shortnose batfish
Ogcocephalus nasutus
Batfish of shallow sand and coral bottoms, from the Caribbean to northern Brazil. It is rarely fished on purpose and is sold for aquariums.
Also called: batimbau, peixe-morcego, murciélago, shortnose batfish
- maximum
- 38 cm
- depth
- 0–305 m
who is the shortnose batfish
Batfish of the family Ogcocephalidae, with a flattened body and the head and body covered in conical tubercles. It reaches 38 cm. It lives on flat bottoms of sand, mud, seagrass and coral rubble, from the shoreline down to 305 m. It eats mollusks, crabs, fish, marine worms and algae. It can be caught by hand, is almost never eaten and has little importance in recreational fishing. In Ceará it is sold as an aquarium fish.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the shortnose batfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- In Ceará it is sold as an aquarium fish.
identification
Flattened, broad body, with the head and body covered in conical tubercles. The tip of the pectoral fin is black, and its underside forms a fleshy pad. The snout is short, unlike the cachimbo (Ogcocephalus vespertilio), which has an extremely long snout and net-like dark markings.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It occurs from southeastern Florida and the Bahamas to the northern Gulf of Mexico, in the Antilles and the western Caribbean, down to northern Brazil.
Habitat: Flat bottoms of sand, mud, seagrass and coral rubble, from the shoreline to 305 m.
coast
rules for the shortnose batfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It is not dangerous. It can be caught by hand, but release it without delay.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02455, b = 2.93; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Ogcocephalus nasutus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Ogcocephalus nasutusNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
