Batfish

Halieutaea fitzsimonsi

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth57–354 m
Water temperature18–29 °C
Best monthsMay
How commonRare

All species

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 2 records
February: 1 records
March: 5 records
April: 6 records
May: 20 records
June: 2 records
July: 0 records
August: 10 records
September: 6 records
October: 4 records
November: 7 records
December: 2 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 57–354 m · Deepest record: 562.5 m

20–30 m: 1 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 3 records
50–60 m: 2 records
60–70 m: 1 records
70–80 m: 5 records
80–90 m: 2 records
90–100 m: 2 records
100–110 m: 1 records
110–120 m: 3 records
120–130 m: 1 records
130+ m: 33 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 18–29 °C

18–20 °C: 12 records
20–22 °C: 5 records
22–24 °C: 10 records
24–26 °C: 24 records
26–28 °C: 14 records
28–30 °C: 3 records

Names and classification

English: Batfish, circular seabat

Names in 3 more languages

Spanish: Pez murciélago circular
Japanese: Okiakagutsu, オキアカグツ
Simplified Chinese: 棘茄魚, 費氏棘茄魚

Other scientific names: Halieutea liogaster, Halieutichthys fitzsimonsi

Similar species

Batfish
Halieutaea stellata
Batfish
Halieutaea brevicauda
Scarlet Seabat
Halieutaea coccinea
Smoky Seabat
Halieutaea fumosa
Hairy Seabat
Halieutaea hancocki
Indian Seabat
Halieutaea indica

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
123 open-data records from 1952 to 2012.
Species data updated November 3, 2026.

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