Starry Batfish Ogcocephalus stellata. Original artwork from Astonishing animals.

2003.
Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper, 150 x 360mm, mounted but not framed, signed and dated by artist.

Page 48 (Ogcocephalus stellata)
The first starry batfish to come to the attention of scientists was a wee creature just five centimetres long-which was dredged up in 1902 from a depth of over 400 metres near the Hawaiian Islands. It doubtless caused the scientists some excitement, for this fish can walk with its four limb-like fins, and can also jet propel itself from gill-slits on its sides. Adults, which can reach thirty centimetres in length, are as hard as a rock, their skin being reinforced with interlocking bone plates so as to resemble a flattened sea urchin. Although they can also swim in the conventional manner, starry batfish prefer to stroll about on the sea floor. They live at depths exceeding 300 metres throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian and Pacific oceans. Aside from these details, little more is known about them.