A Galapagos batfish that walks on modified fins across open sand, with bright red lips.
The animal most macro photographers come to the Galapagos for, and the closest thing these islands have to a muck subject. It sits on open sand and rubble between about 10 and 40 m, propped on modified pectoral and pelvic fins, and walks rather than swims.
The red lips are the obvious character and their function is not established. Suggestions include species recognition and a role in spawning; none is demonstrated. An entry claiming otherwise is repeating an aquarium caption.
Like other batfishes it carries an illicium — a modified first dorsal spine — in a recess above the mouth, extended to lure prey. It is a poor swimmer and when disturbed usually walks a short distance rather than leaving.
Sand and rubble away from the rock, on the deeper side of the profile. It is not found by covering ground quickly. Once found it is close to static, which makes it an unusually forgiving subject in a place where most subjects are not.
Compare with the rosy-lipped batfish at Cocos, which is the same genus and fills the same role there.
Ratings are per location: 1 means found on most dives that look for it, 5 means a handful of records. Where enough dives have been logged the figure is calculated from them; otherwise it is an editorial estimate, and says so. We publish habitat and destination, not the dive site.