Teleostei (teleosts) >
Lophiiformes (Anglerfishes) >
Ogcocephalidae (Batfishes)
Etymology: Malthopsis: Greek, malthe, es = a marine fish of soft flesh (Ref. 45335); formosa: Named for the old name of Taiwan = Formosa, meaning beautiful in Portuguese.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal. Subtropical
Northwest Pacific:Taiwan.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 121638)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 5. This species is distinguished by the following characters: numerous small prickle-like bucklers on ventral surface; D 5; pectoral-fin rays 11-12; the rostral spine is directed forward horizontally; principal bucklers on dorsal surface are relatively low, few in number and scattered in arrangement; body densely covered by small prickle-like bucklers; head length 27.1-29.1% SL; posterior tip of appressed anal fin not reaching caudal-fin base (Ref. 121638).
Cross section: flattened.
A rarely seen species in bycatch of bottom trawlers (Ref. 121638)..
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Ho, H.-C. and K. Koeda, 2019. A new Malthopsis batfish from Taiwan, with comments on Malthopsis tiarella Jordan, 1902 (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae). Zootaxa 4702(1):73-86. (Ref. 121638)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: bycatch
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