Sunday, April 16, 2006

Cool animal of the day

Red lipped Batfish (click for picture):

One of more than 60 different species of fishes found in warm sea, this fish has a broad head, slight body, and is covered in large gnarled lumps. Batfish are not good swimmers; they use their pectoral fins to "walk" on the ocean floor. When the batfish reaches adulthood, its dorsal fin becomes a single spine-like projection that lures prey. Batfish eat shrimps, mollusks, small fish, crabs, and worms.
Just saw this fish for the first time while watching the Shark Mountain documentary on PBS.

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