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Identification Key Frogfishes

Indian Ocean (including the Red Sea) - Striped Frogfishes

All frogfish species listed here are living in the Indian Ocean (including the Red Sea) and are striped.
For frogfishes with no stripes living in the Indian Ocean (including the Red Sea) click here.
For a overwiew of all frogfishes from this area click here.

The Indian Ocean is the only place where there are so many species of striped frogfishes. Here the lures of the three main species:

Antennarius hispidus (Hispid frogfish, Shaggy Frogfish - Hispid Anglerfisch)
Details lure Antennarius hispidus
Hispid Frogfish (Shaggy Frogfish)

Antennarius indicus (Indian frogfish - Indischer Anglerfisch)

Details lure Antennarius indicus
Indian Frogfish

Antennarius striatus - Striped or striated frogfish (hairy frogfish) - Gestreifter Anglerfisch

Details lure Antennarius striatus
Hairy Frogfish (Striped Frogfish)

1. Stripes on the whole body

A typical frogfish of this geographic area is Antennarius indicus. It differs from other striped frogfishes that it also has 2 to 3 dark round spots with a white ring around each.

Antennarius indicus(Indian frogfish - Indischer Anglerfisch)

Antennarius indicus - Indian frogfish - Indischer Anglerfisch

Information

19cm


Antennarius hispidus differs from Antennarius striatus in the shape of the Esca (large oval-shaped tuft versus worm-like appendages). Both species differ from Histrio histrio that this frogfish-species has very large pelvic fins which it needs to float in the Sargassum weed.

Antennarius hispidus (Hispid frogfish - Hispid Anglerfisch)

Antennarius hispidus - Hispid Frogfish (Shaggy Frogfish) - Hispid Anglerfisch

Information

15-20cm

Antennarius hispidus - Hispid Frogfish (Shaggy Frogfish) - Hispid Anglerfisch


Antennarius striatus (Striped or hairy frogfish)

Antennarius striatus - Striped Frogfish (Striated frogfish, Splitlure Frogfish, Zebra Frogfish, Hairy frogfish) - Gestreifter Anglerfisch (Streifen Anglerfisch)

Information

18-22cm

Antennarius striatus - Striped Frogfish (Striated frogfish, Splitlure Frogfish, Zebra Frogfish, Hairy frogfish) - Gestreifter Anglerfisch (Streifen Anglerfisch)

Antennarius striatus - Striped or striated frogfish (hairy frogfish) - Gestreifter Anglerfisch

Histrio histrio (Sargassumfish)

Histrio histrio - Sargassum Frogfish (Sargassumfish) - Sargasso Anglerfisch

Information

20cm

Histrio histrio - Sargassum Frogfish (Sargassumfish) - Sargasso Anglerfisch

gray / hellgrau frogfish-Anglerfischgreen / grün frogfish-Anglerfisch

A very uncommon species, has a very long whip-like lure - if you have a photo for me, please write to me!

Antennatus linearis (Pygmy frogfish)

Antennatus linearis

Information

7.5cm

Antennatus linearis

2. only striped tail

These two frogfish species only have stripes on the tail - please continue here.

Abantennarius coccineus (Freckled frogfish)

Information

9-13cm

Antennatus coccineus - Antennarius coccineus - Freckled frogfish (Scarlet frogfish) - Sommersprossen Anglerfisch


Abantennarius dorehensis (New Guinea Frogfish) - Antennatus dorehensis

Antennarius 
          dorehensis - New Guinea frogfish - Zwerg Anglerfisch (Neu Guinea Anglerfisch)

Information

2.5-5cm

Antennarius 
          dorehensis - New Guinea frogfish - Zwerg Anglerfisch (Neu Guinea Anglerfisch)

This identification key is only for species of the subfamily Antennariinae (frogfishes, family Antennariidae, suborder Antennarioidei) which are frogfishes living in tropical and Subtropical waters.
Please take note, that this is a simplified identification key. Ichthyologists use tables with the number of dorsal, anal and pectoral rays, the length of the illicium and other distinguishing characteristics for means of identification.

I identified all frogfishes (anglerfishes) to my best knowledge. Frogfishes are specially difficult to identify (see tips for identification) so mistakes are possible of course! Please write to me, if you have any questions. Latin names according to the newest scientific findings, ITIS Standard Report and Fishbase.


. Copyright Teresa Zubi