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Homescience

A fish with lipstick? Meet the Red-Lipped Batfish

Discover the Red-Lipped Batfish, a strange ocean creature known for its bright lipstick-like lips, walking fins, unique hunting lure and remarkable deep-sea adaptations.

Gurpreet Singh | November 30, 2025 / 16:53 IST
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1. Red Lipped Batfish: Meet the Red-Lipped Batfish, a bizarre ocean creature famous for its bright red lips and unusual walking behaviour. (Image: Canva)
1. Red Lipped Batfish: Meet the Red-Lipped Batfish, a bizarre ocean creature famous for its bright red lips and unusual walking behaviour. (Image: Canva)
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2. Where It Lives: Found near the Galápagos Islands and northern Peru, this fish prefers shallow seabeds with sandy or rocky ocean floors. (Image: Canva)
2. Where It Lives: Found near the Galápagos Islands and northern Peru, this fish prefers shallow seabeds with sandy or rocky ocean floors. (Image: Canva)
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3. Unique Appearance: Its flat body, large pectoral fins and vivid red lips give it a surreal, almost cartoon-like appearance under water. (Image: Canva)
3. Unique Appearance: Its flat body, large pectoral fins and vivid red lips give it a surreal, almost cartoon-like appearance under water. (Image: Canva)
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4. Walking on the Seabed: Instead of swimming, this batfish uses its fins to “walk” along the ocean floor slowly and deliberately. (Image: Canva)
4. Walking on the Seabed: Instead of swimming, this batfish uses its fins to “walk” along the ocean floor slowly and deliberately. (Image: Canva)
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5. Red Lips Explained: The bright red lips help attract mates and may play a role in communication between individual batfish. (Image: Canva)
5. Red Lips Explained: The bright red lips help attract mates and may play a role in communication between individual batfish. (Image: Canva)
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6. Fishing Rod Feature: A small “illicium” extends from its head like a fishing rod, with a lure (esca) to attract prey. (Image: Canva)
6. Fishing Rod Feature: A small “illicium” extends from its head like a fishing rod, with a lure (esca) to attract prey. (Image: Canva)
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7. Hunting Strategy: The batfish ambushes prey using its lure, remaining camouflaged on the ocean floor for safety. (Image: Canva)
7. Hunting Strategy: The batfish ambushes prey using its lure, remaining camouflaged on the ocean floor for safety. (Image: Canva)
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8. Size and Lifespan: The Red-Lipped Batfish grows to about 20–25 cm, roughly eight inches long, making it a small, harmless ocean dweller. (Image: Canva)
8. Size and Lifespan: The Red-Lipped Batfish grows to about 20–25 cm, roughly eight inches long, making it a small, harmless ocean dweller. (Image: Canva)
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9. Camouflage Abilities: Despite bright lips, the rest of its body blends with sandy ocean bottoms, protecting it from predators. (Image: Canva)
9. Camouflage Abilities: Despite bright lips, the rest of its body blends with sandy ocean bottoms, protecting it from predators. (Image: Canva)
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10. Why it Looks Funny: Its exaggerated features and walking style make it appear comical, often called the “fish with lipstick” online. (Image: Canva)
10. Why it Looks Funny: Its exaggerated features and walking style make it appear comical, often called the “fish with lipstick” online. (Image: Canva)

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