Download Antennariidae

COLLECTABLES | FISH ID
The sea creatures collectable item
With compliments
By Brian Ring and Dennis King. Images by Dennis King.
Frogfish
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Antennariidae
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This interesting fish is called
a frogfish
because of its habit of moving around on the reef in small “hops”.
Another common name for it is anglerfish. The reason for this is that
the first dorsal spine is highly modified into a fishing rod, called an
illicium, with a bait or lure at the end, called an esca.
They are small fish, less than 34cm in length and have a globular
body form. Their pectoral fins are highly modified to resemble arms
with hands, both in appearance and in use. The gill openings are
small and round, while the mouth is very large, extendable and
directed upward. They may also be extremely well camouflaged,
resembling reef sponges, algae or sea squirts. They are able to
change their skin pigmentation to resemble the patch of reef upon
which they are situated.
Frogfish lack scales and instead are armed with dermal spinules.
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These voracious predators are known to consume fish of equal
size to themselves by swallowing their prey whole, after luring
them in by dangling the esca near their mouths. The strike of this
fish – which includes opening its mouth to 12 times its normal size,
sucking in the prey and water and closing its mouth – takes six to
seven thousandths of a second.
Locomotion may be either by “walking” on their pectoral fins,
by swimming using their caudal fins or by propelling themselves
forward by directing jets of water out of their gill slits. They are
usually found on coral and rocky reefs. Gravid (pregnant) females
may release as many as 250 000 eggs in a buoyant gelatinous raft,
which are subsequently fertilised by an accompanying male. This
fascinating family consists of 43 species of which nine are found in
our area. S
FISH ID | COLLECTABLES
Painted frogfish (Antennarius pictus).
Sargassum frogfish (Histrio histrio).
Attains 19cm and is rare. Colour is mottled green with numerous
fleshy weed-like dermal appendages blending with the floating
sargassum seaweed in which it is usually found. Adults of this species
are almost always found near the surface, but the larval and postlarval specimens (up to 4mm in length) have been found at depths
from 50m to 600m. Feeds primarily on fish, polychaete worms,
planktonic crustaceans and shrimps. This species is also more likely
to eat members of its own kind. The stomach of a large sargassum
frogfish has contained as many as 12 smaller individuals.
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Attains 24cm and is rare. This fish can be dark blue or black
(sometimes this colour phase has orange spots), yellow, yellowish
green, dark green, orange, dark brown, tan, bright red or brick red.
Darker individuals often have white-tipped pectoral rays, and all
colour forms regularly have dark spots of varying size. It is usually
associated with sponges, coral rubble, macroalgae or live corals
during the day, but often moves into more exposed areas on sand
and mud at night. It has also been found among floating algae.
Typically found from 1m to 75m. The esca is an elongated tuft or
flattened appendage. Diet includes fish and crustaceans.
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Striped frogfish (Antennarius striatus).
Attains 22cm and is rare. Colour can vary with records of yellow,
green, brown, black and even red. The colour can be uniform but
typically has dark streaks or blotches radiating out from the eye.
The esca is typically two to five worm-like tentacles and releases
a scent that is attractive to other fish. This could be one of the
reasons why this fish is found in water over 200m deep. Found
on coral and rocky reefs but also abundant on sandy and muddy
surfaces. Diet includes fish and crustaceans.
Giant frogfish (Antennarius commerson).
Attains 30cm and is rare. This is the largest and most common
frogfish in our waters. Colours vary tremendously, but are typically
similar to the sponges and soft coral hideouts that this fish seems
to prefer. Occurs singly, in pairs and sometimes in trios. Typically on
coral reefs deeper than 15m and shallower than 50m. The esca is a
small tuft of flattened appendages. Diet is mainly fish.
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