Teleostei (teleosts) >
Lophiiformes (Anglerfishes) >
Antennariidae (Frogfishes)
Etymology: Histrio: Latin, histrionicus = related with actors; because of the movements of that mekaes this fish before catching its preys (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 58302), usually 0 - 2 m (Ref. 58302). Subtropical; 46°N - 36°S, -180°W - 180°E
Indian Ocean: tip of South Africa eastward to Indian and Sri Lanka, including the Red Sea, Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius. Western Pacific: Hokkaido to tropical Australia (as far south as Perth in the west and Sydney in the east), including Taiwan, Philippines, Moluccas, southern Papua New Guinea, Guam, Tonga, New Caledonia and New Zealand; Mariana Islands in Micronesia (Ref. 1602). Occurrence in the eastern Pacific remains problematic. Northwest Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951). Western Atlantic: Gulf of Maine to the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, Uruguay. Eastern Atlantic: Azores and off West Africa; record from Vardø, northern Norway (Düben & Koren 1846) is based on a straggler taken northward by the North Atlantic and Norwegian currents.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251)
Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 6 - 13. Diagnosis: body short and globose; mouth large with many small, villiform teeth; skin naked, but head, body and fins covered with numerous skin flaps; very long pelvic fins (> 25% SL); unprotected illicium or lure attains less than half of second dorsal-fin spine and 4.5-9.3% of SL (Ref. 57225).
Found near the surface, usually associated with floating objects (Ref. 26340) or Sargassum. Found near shore and occasionally among floating seaweeds (Ref. 57225). Commonly blown into shore and bay waters during storms (Ref. 7251). Epipelagic (Ref. 58302). A solitary (Ref. 26340) and voracious predator (Ref. 5521). They feed on fishes and shrimps that seek refuge in the floating weeds (Ref. 48635). Oviparous. Eggs are bound in ribbon-like sheath or mass of gelatinous mucus called 'egg raft' or 'veil' (Ref. 6773, 48635). Solitary or loose groups among floating seaweed (Ref 90102).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous. During courtship, the male follows the female closely then both rush to the surface to spawn (Ref. 205). At this point, eggs are produced in a gelatinous floating mass or 'raft' and inseminated by the male. The eggs remain embedded in this raft until hatching (Ref. 240).
Pietsch, T.W. and D.B. Grobecker, 1987. Frogfishes of the world. Systematics, zoogeography, and behavioral ecology. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 420 p. (Ref. 6773)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30911)
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: commercial
FAO -
