Batfish
Depth: 60 m · Sunlight Zone
The batfish is as tall as a plate and has very long fins when young. Curious, it often comes right up to divers. It lives in small groups on the reef and nibbles algae and small animals.
For scientists
Batfish (Platax) undergo a strong change of shape: juveniles have extremely long fins and sometimes mimic toxic flatworms or leaves. They are important algae grazers and can even keep down tough algae that other herbivores avoid. They often follow divers out of curiosity.
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