Spotfin Frogfish

The Spotfin Frogfish (Abantennarius nummifer), also referred to as the Big-Spot Angler, Coin-Bearing Frogfish, Darkspot Frogfish, Ocellated Angler, Ocellated Fringed Fishing Frog, Opulent Frogfish, Spotfin Angler, or White-Finger Anglerfish, is a species of ray-finned fish within the Antennariidae family, commonly known as frogfishes. This species is distributed across select regions in the eastern Atlantic, 🇮🇳 Indian, and western 🌊 Pacific Oceans.

The genus name, Abantennarius, combines the prefix “ab,” meaning “away from,” with “antennarius,” a reference to frogfishes. This nomenclature highlights the distinctive placement of the gill opening, which is notably distant from the base of the pectoral fin, contrary to the typical positioning in other frogfishes. The specific epithet, nummifer, derives from the Latin words “nummis,” meaning “coin,” and “fero,” meaning “to bear,” alluding to the prominent brown spot located on the second dorsal fin.

The spotfin frogfish is characterized by three dorsal spines and a second dorsal fin comprising 12 or 13 soft rays, while its anal fin consists of 7 or 8 soft rays. The ilicium is approximately equal in length to the second dorsal spine and features an esca, which is bulbous with filament extensions, resembling a plump shrimp. The caudal peduncle is present, and the posterior sections of the dorsal and anal fins are connected to the outer rays of the caudal fin via a membrane. The skin lacks scales but is densely adorned with forked spinules. Notably, the pectoral fins are prehensile with an elbow-like joint, and the gill opening is positioned on or near their base. The frogfish exhibits a color range from yellow, rusty, pink, to red, with a brownish or reddish-brown head transitioning to a brown or greenish-brown body and fins, interspersed with irregular greenish-white blotches. Typically, the base of the second dorsal fin features a dark spot enclosed by a faint greenish ring. This species can achieve a maximum total length of 13 cm (5.1 in).

The Spotfin Frogfish inhabits various regions, particularly in the eastern and central Atlantic Ocean, where it has been documented around the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, and Saint Helena. Within the 🌊 Indian Ocean, its range extends from the 🌊 Red Sea southward to Aliwal Shoal in 🇿🇦 South Africa, 🇲🇬 Madagascar, Mascarenes, 🇸🇨 Seychelles, 🇲🇻 Maldives, the 🌊 Persian Gulf extending east to the Society Islands (🇵🇫 French Polynesia) and Hawaiian Islands, southward to 🇦🇺 Australia and northern 🇳🇿 New Zealand, and northward to 🇯🇵 Japan. It is reef-associated and typically resides at depths extending to 293 meters (961 feet), commonly observed at depths below 20 meters (66 feet). The Atlantic populations generally inhabit deeper waters compared to those in the Pacific. This species can be located in the intertidal zones of lagoons and seaward reefs.

Reproductively, the Spotfin Frogfish is oviparous. Females deposit egg masses encased in ribbons of gelatinous mucus, known as “egg rafts” or “veils.” In a controlled environment, one egg raft was estimated to contain approximately 48,000 eggs. The larvae are planktonic initially, settling onto reefs within 1 to 2 months. As a piscivorous species, it utilizes its shrimp-like esca to lure prey within striking distance of its mouth.