www.frogfish.ch
The Frogfish
The frogfish (or anglerfish, angler, fishing frog) is one of my favorite fishes so this website is dedicated entirely to this family of fishes (Antennariidae).
Frogfishes are fascinating animals. They sit well camouflaged and without moving on sponges, wait in front of holes or hide between corals and wait for their prey to approach. One of its dorsal spine is converted into a lure (illicium) with a bait (esca) which looks like a small fish, a worm or a shrimp. This lure is dangled, flicked and moved around in front of the Frogfish's head. If a fish wants to catch this make-believe prey it becomes prey itself - fast as lightning the Frogfish greatly expands its oral cavity thus creating suction pressure inside the mouth and engulfs the animal. This behavior is called aggressive mimicry. With this kind of luring behavior the frogfish is a very succesfull predator.
Although like a lot of divers I have started to use the nickname "Froggie" of course the frogfish is not exactly a cuddly animal - actually it is not very likable - but but how it looks and it's behavior is very interesting!
2010: New on www.frogfish.ch
- Tiny yellow Bougainville's Anglerfish (Australia) with eggs under its tail
- Rare Ambon Frogfish with eggs under its tail
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Mating Clown Frogfish (very special coloring!!)
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Several new photos of a possible undescribed species of Histiophryne with a honeycomb pattern
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Caught by fishermen in 100 m depth off the coast of Africa - a rare Senegal Frogfish (Antennarius senegalensis).
2009: New on www.frogfish.ch
- The so far undescribed frogfish-species from Ambon has a name: Histiophryne psychedelica
- Look at new photos of an undescribed frogfish species from Sydney, Australia
- Amazing photos of a frogfish caught by a lizardfish
- Is this a new color variation of the Lembeh Frogfish?
- New Frogfish-Species? Photos of several Histiophryne sp from Indonesia and Australia
- A tiny Antennarius randalli that looks like a leaf
- Tiny baby of Antennatus tuberosus, smaller than a finger nail!
- Photos of the Australian Anglerfish Rhycherus filamentosus with egg clutch
- Photos of a clutch of eggs of Lophiocharon lithinostomus where you can actually make out the tiny frogfish-embryos!
Photo Collection of 43 Frogfish-Species - Zubi's Frogfish Photos - Frogfish Slideshow
