Halicmetus

Halicmetus seabats are characterised by their very flattened heads with the front edge of the head being either broadly rounded or squared off. The snout extends out over the small mouth and the front edge of the disc of the head. The dorsal fin is either tiny or is not present. The whole body is covered in scales developed into small bucklers and small tubercles. The subopercular buckler is moderately well developed and has some small terminal spinules. The second and third gill arches have gill filaments; the fourth does not. Gill rakers are found on the first to third gill arches. The esca, or lure, is bulbous and triangular with a fringe on its lower edge and typically has a pair of cirri on its upper surface The teeth on the vomer and palate are arranged in three neighbouring quadrangular patches and those on the tongue in two joined and elongated patches.^[6] These fishes are no longer than 9 cm (3.5 in) in length.^[5]

Halicmetus seabats are found in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans, as far west as northern Madagascar, north to Japan, south to Australia and east as far as New Caledonia.^[2] These are bathydemersal fishes found at depths between 280 and 1,000 m (920 and 3,280 ft).^[7]