| Family: |
Histiophrynidae (Starfingered frogfishes) |
| Max. size: |
6.5 cm SL (male/unsexed); 8.7 cm SL (female) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 5 - 10 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Pacific: Indonesia. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-13; Anal soft rays: 7-7; Vertebrae: 20-20. This species is unique in having a broad flat face, surrounded by thick, fleshy, laterally expanded cheeks and chin, with eyes directed anteriorly; body skin thick and loose, forming conspicuous fleshy folds that envelop the unpaired fins; a pigment pattern of white stripes runs from the eyes and continuing back to the body and tip of the caudal fin; genetic divergence in the nuclear recombination activation gene-2 (RAG2), cytochrome oxidase-I (COI), and 16S rRNA genes (Ref. 80493).
Description: Characterized by yellowish tan to reddish color; microscopic size of illicium; thick skin bounds second and third dorsal spines to surface of head; absence of caudal peduncle, posterior margins of dorsal and anal fins connected to base of outermost caudal fin rays (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
This species was found at a depth of 5-7 m, within 100 m of the commercial jetty in the harbor at Ambon City (its type locality that was previously well known to divers as the ‘‘Twilight Zone,’’ because of the presence of many rare animals); currents varied from virtually nonexistent to strong; visibility varied between about 10 and 30 m; sea floor in this location slopes gently near shore, but more steeply below 10 m, quickly reaching a depth of 100 m or more; aside from the coral rubble, the bottom was littered with a variety of human refuse; and both individuals were consistently found hidden among coarse coral rubble, usually encrusted with ascidians, sponges, and coralline algae (Ref. 80493). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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