| Family: |
Antennariidae (Frogfishes) |
| Max. size: |
20 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 66 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida Keys (USA), Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas; Greater Antilles (including Cuba, Hispanola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Cayman Is.), Virgin Is.; Lesser Antilles (island chain south of the British Virgin Islands to Grenada); western Caribbean (ne tip of the Yucatan Peninsula to Colombia, including offshore islands; northern South America (region north of Amazon River including Trinidad and Tobago and off coasts of Colombia, Venezuela. Eastern Atlantic: Ascension Island. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal soft rays: 6-7. Illicium about twice as long as second dorsal spine (Ref. 26938). |
| Biology: |
Inhabit shallow reefs (Ref. 9710). Commonly found in areas with sponges; background hue of the fish conforms to that of the dominant sponge in the areas and the ocelli look like openings in the sponge. Feed mainly on fishes, but also eat crustaceans (Ref. 13442). A voracious predator, with many color phases used for camouflage. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Eggs are bound in ribbon-like sheath or mass of gelatinous mucus called 'egg raft' or 'veil' (Ref. 6773). Most common frogfish in the West Indies (Ref. 26938). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 29 January 2013 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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