Orbicular batfish

Round head Batfish ( Platax orbicularis)

The round-headed Batfish ( Platax orbicularis ) lives in the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific from the coast of East Africa to South Africa, Japan, New Caledonia and Tuamotu.

Juveniles have very long extended dorsal and anal fins and are similar to the floating leaves ( mimicry ) in their mangrove habitat. With them dominates the brown color of the three vertical bands that stretch over the eye, from the front back to the pectoral fins and the dorsal fin to anal fin. Adult fish get a more disc-like shape, the fins are in proportion to the body not as high, the body is silver-gray, the bands are paler. They live further seaward in deeper lagoons and outer reefs Riffkanälen.

Round head Batfish live singly or in small groups and feed on algae, small invertebrates. They eat both from the ground and from the open water.