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Where to see the red-lipped batfish in the Galápagos

A fish that walks on its fins and wears bright red lips. It lives on sand between 3 and 76 m deep.

  • luckyodds of seeing one
  • All yearbest months
  • 1place to see it
  • Least ConcernIUCN status
Red-lipped batfish on the sea floor
Photo: Georgina Jones, CC BY-SA 4.0

Short answer: The red-lipped batfish is a diver's find: look in the deeper sandy areas of the Bartolomé dive site. It lives on sand at 3 to 76 m, so snorkellers rarely see it. It is there all year; you need a dive trip that goes to Bartolomé.

The red-lipped batfish is endemic to the Galápagos, described as a new species in 1958, and listed as Least Concern.

When to see red-lipped batfish

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Best months: All year. Odds of seeing one: lucky.

Where to see red-lipped batfish

Dive

Deeper sandy areas of the Bartolomé dive site

Dive site (needs a diver).

Bartolomé

EQUATOR · 0° Volcán Wolf≈ 1,670 mVolcán Wolf: highest point about 1,670 m in the GMRT elevation gridCerro Azul≈ 1,650 mCerro Azul: highest point about 1,650 m in the GMRT elevation gridSierra Negra≈ 1,110 mSierra Negra: highest point about 1,110 m in the GMRT elevation gridAlcedo≈ 1,130 mAlcedo: highest point about 1,130 m in the GMRT elevation gridVolcán Darwin≈ 1,370 mVolcán Darwin: highest point about 1,370 m in the GMRT elevation gridLa Cumbre≈ 1,440 mLa Cumbre (Fernandina): highest point about 1,440 m in the GMRT elevation gridSanta Cruz highlands≈ 820 mSanta Cruz highlands: highest point about 820 m in the GMRT elevation gridSan Cristóbal highlands≈ 680 mSan Cristóbal highlands: highest point about 680 m in the GMRT elevation gridSantiago≈ 890 mSantiago: highest point about 890 m in the GMRT elevation gridPinta≈ 610 mPinta: highest point about 610 m in the GMRT elevation grid ISABELAFERNANDINASANTIAGOSANTA CRUZSAN CRISTÓBALFLOREANAESPAÑOLAPINTAMARCHENAGENOVESASANTA FEPINZÓNBALTRA North SeymourBartoloméSanta FeSouth PlazaPinzónKicker RockLos TúnelesTintorerasTortuga BaySierra NegraPunta SuárezEl ChatoLas GrietasDarwin Station Puerto AyoraPuerto Baquerizo MorenoPuerto VillamilPuerto Velasco Ibarra ✈GPSBaltra (GPS)✈SCYSan Cristóbal (SCY)✈IBBIsabela (IBB) Giant tortoisesPenguinsPenguinsBlue-footed boobiesFlamingosFlamingosSea lions in townMarine iguanasFlightless cormorantsWaved albatross (Apr–Dec)Red-footed boobiesTurtles & sharks (snorkel)White-tip sharks ↖ Darwin & Wolf: dive boats only 050 km N
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · tiles OpenFreeMap · depth GMRT · photos Wikimedia Commons, credited in each cardNot for navigation.

Which tour goes there

The Bartolomé day tour reaches the site but is a snorkel trip. For the batfish, ask a dive shop in Puerto Ayora whether Bartolomé is on its plan.

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Prices and ratings as listed in November 2026; the price at checkout is what counts. Many multi-day packages start in Quito, so check what is included. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure

Every tour on all islands, filtered by animal: day-tour finder.

Did you know?

  • Fun factIt walks along the seabed on its pectoral, pelvic and anal fins with a gait like a frog's, and has bright red lips.
  • SizeUp to 40 cm.
  • Scientific nameOgcocephalus darwini, found only in the Galápagos

On every visit: keep 2 metres from wildlife, cameras included, and visit park sites with a certified naturalist guide. The full list: visitor rules.

Questions people ask

Where can you see the red-lipped batfish?

In the deeper sandy areas of the Bartolomé dive site. It lives at 3 to 76 m, so it is mostly seen by divers.

Can you see a red-lipped batfish while snorkelling?

Rarely. It lives on sandy bottoms 3 to 76 m down, so diving gives a far better chance than snorkelling.

How does the red-lipped batfish walk?

On its pectoral, pelvic and anal fins, with a gait like a frog's. It grows up to 40 cm.

Also on the card

Print the wildlife bingo card · Best month for your trip · Plan your days

Sources:Galápagos National Park and Governing Council, Galápagos Conservancy. More numbers:facts and figures.

Updated 2026-11-06. Fees, boat times and prices change, so confirm with the operator before you travel.