Friday, August 27, 2010

Hairy Frogfish from Indonesia


Common name:Frogfish or Anglerfish
Scientific name:Antennariidae
Family:Antennariidae
Order:Lophiiformes

Specific Features: Frogfish, resembles to the common amphibians, Range of size is from 5cm to the giant frogfish's colossal 40cm. They do resemble frogs where their fins are like legs, in which they use to walk very slowly over the sea bed and atop sponges and corals to lie and wait for their prey.

Color Variations: Depending on the species, the color might change it take seconds or weeks. Some of the frogfish's skin is festooned by bumps, tassles, flaps, and hairs which further allow for mimicking the nearby seabed, corals, sponges, etc.

Gender distinguishes: It is very difficult to distinguish between the sexes or species. Short of getting out your scalpel, there is no way to tell male from female. Number of eye spots and the number of spines will be found.

Place of Hairy Frog fish:- Rare Hairy Frogfish is a bright orange fuzzy animal and mostly found in Indonesia.

Interesting Aspects:- Interesting feature of the frogfish, apart from a camouflage is the way it attracts its prey. If we note some other fish, they lie and wait until the prey swims close to their mouth, but this frogfish lures the prey actively to where it can smack. The lure mimics food animals like worms, small shrimps or small fish. The prey approaches to catch the lure and then is engulf by the waiting frogfish.

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