#platax

[herpsandbirds]

Pinnate Batfish (Platax pinnatus), juvenile, family Ephippidae, order Acanthuriformes, Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia

The juveniles of this species mimic a toxic flatworm.

photograph by DiveIvanov

[pochqmqri]

Longfin and dusky batfishes at the Aquasearch Aquarium on Magnetic Island, QLD, Australia  

[herpsandbirds]

Pinnate Batfish (Platax pinnatus), juvenile, family Ephippidae, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

It is believed that these juvenile fish, which look nothing like the adults, mimic poisonous flatworms.

photograph by Byron Conroy

[vintagewildlife]

Platax fish By: M. Solaini / L. Ricciarini From: Éditions Rencontre Cards 1975

[maximilianfnz]

Everybody in line for the shooting.. :) #platax #batfish #wildlifephotography #underwaterphotography #marinelife #cute #shapeandline #fish #travelphotography #Seychelles (presso Seychelles) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBTStBfBYSe/?igshid=x1t8dbaxatok

[hampala234]

Platax

[drhoz]

A member of a batfish school takes offense at the camera

[drhoz]

#1568 - Platax teira - Roundfaced Batfish

Second photo, of a juvenile, from Wikipedia. First is mine of a sub-adult. 

A large spadefish (Fam. Ephippidae) native to warmer coastal areas in the Indo-West Pacific, and invasive in the Western Med. In Australia they’re found from the SW corner of WA, and all the way north and around to the south coast of New South Wales. 

Very young juvenile batfish resemble brown decaying leaves, but as the mature the fins become more and more vertically elongated, even more than in the photo at top. Juveniles usually school together under the watchful eye of a matriarch, but adults seem to be more solitary. 

Can be kept in marine aquaria, but are vulnerable to harassment when young, and grow rapidly to 60cm in size.