Batfish

batfish (Platax orbicularis )The body of the batfish is very flat and compressed, so that the adult of the species actually resembles a disk. The forward profile of the head is convex and smooth, but it is broken in line with the snout, which becomes progressively longer. The young of the species have very tall and narrow dorsal and anal fins, but over time these become shorter and rounder. The coloration also varies with age. The young are reddish or yellowish-brown, while the adults display broad dark vertical bands, or else are more or less silvery, while parts of their fins are dark in colour. They live in small schools and are omnivorous. They grow to a length of 50 centimetres.