Platax pinnatus

Platax pinnatus, also known as the pinnate spadefish, pinnate batfish, dusky batfish, shaded batfish, or red-faced batfish is a fish from the western Pacific that occasionally is kept in marine aquariums.

Dusky Batfish
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Ephippidae
Genus:
Platax
Species:
P. pinnatus
Binomial name
Platax pinnatus
Synonyms

Description

As a juvenile it is blackish brown, or black with an orange stripe outlining its entire body. Adults become a dull silver. This fish grows to a maximum size of 45 cm (18 in).

Importance to humans

In the aquarium

The pinnate batfish is occasionally kept in marine aquariums.

In the wild

Platax pinnatus has been observed to significantly reduce algal growths on coral in studies simulating overfishing on the Great Barrier Reef.[1]

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References
  1. Brahic, Catherine (2006-12-18). "Batfish may come to Great Barrier Reef's rescue". New Scientist. Reed Business Information Ltd. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
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