File:Antennarius_striatus_(8492976355).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Antennariidae
Sign in to saveAlso known as frogfish family
Frogfishes are any member of the anglerfish family Antennariidae, of the order Lophiiformes. Antennariids are known as anglerfish in Australia, where the term "frogfish" refers to members of the unrelated family Batrachoididae. Frogfishes are found in almost all tropical and subtropical oceans and seas around the world, the primary exception being the Mediterranean Sea.
Species
frogfishes
FAMILY
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassTeleostei
- OrderLophiiformes
- FamilyAntennariidae
via GBIF
Museum specimens
- Specimen records
- 287
- With media
- 8
- Family
- Antennariidae
- Collections
- ECOSUR, DESZC-CUCSUR-UDG, USNM, TCWC, MSUM, LACM
- Recorded in
- Mexico, Vanuatu, Curacao, Seychelles, Belize, French Polynesia, United States, Solomon Islands
~16 min read
Encyclopedic overview
12 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Taxonomy
- Genera
- Fossil record
- Range
- Description
- Mimicry and camouflage
- Movement
- Hunting
- Reproduction
- References
- External links
Frogfishes are any member of the anglerfish family Antennariidae, of the order Lophiiformes. Antennariids are known as anglerfish in Australia, where the term "frogfish" refers to members of the unrelated family Batrachoididae. Frogfishes are found in almost all tropical and subtropical oceans and seas around the world, the primary exception being the Mediterranean Sea.
Frogfishes are small, short and stocky, and sometimes covered in spinules and other appendages to aid in camouflage. The camouflage aids in protection from predators and enables them to lure prey. Many species can change colour; some are covered with other organisms, such as algae or hydrozoa. In keeping with this camouflage, frogfishes typically move slowly, lying in wait for prey, and then striking extremely rapidly, in as little as 6 milliseconds.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Antennariidae” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.