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Spotfin Anglerfish

Spotfin Anglerfish

Antennarius Nummifer

Quick Facts

Scientific nameAntennarius Nummifer

Other namesBig-spot Angler, Coin-bearing Frogfish, Dark-spotted Frogfish, Ocellated Anglerfish, Opulent Frogfish, Spotfin Frogfish, White-finger Anglerfish

FamilyAnglerfish / Antennaridae

Distribution

Habitat & AU DistributionInshore/offshore coral & rocky reefs

The Spotfin Anglerfish is a small, lumpy-looking fish that grows to about 13 cm long. It belongs to the frogfish family, a group of anglerfish famous for their disguise and their patience.
In Australia, Spotfin Anglerfish are found from the Perth region of Western Australia, northward through the Northern Territory and the Gulf of Carpentaria, and down the Queensland coast to south of Sydney.
Beyond Australia, the Spotfin Anglerfish has one of the widest ranges of any frogfish. It lives throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa across to Central America, and north as far as southern Japan.
This fish spends its life close to the bottom, sitting still on coral or rocky reefs. Most are found in fairly shallow water, though the species has been recorded at depths of up to 176 m.
The Spotfin Anglerfish is a sit-and-wait predator. It lures prey by wriggling a small, fleshy growth on its head that looks remarkably like a tiny shrimp.
When something comes close to investigate the lure, the Spotfin Anglerfish strikes. Frogfishes are known for one of the fastest bites in the fish world, opening that enormous mouth in just milliseconds.
Its body shape and colour help it blend into the reef almost perfectly. Spotfin Anglerfish can appear in shades of yellow, orange, brown or red, often matching the sponges and corals around them.
One feature worth looking for is the dark spot near the base of the rear dorsal fin. It is the marking the fish takes its common name from.
Spotfin Anglerfish reproduce in an unusual way. The female releases her eggs wrapped in a buoyant, balloon-like sheet of mucus called an egg raft, which floats near the surface.
A single egg raft can hold tens of thousands of eggs, all held in separate tiny chambers within the jelly-like mass.
After hatching, the tiny larvae drift in open water for one to two months before settling down onto the reef to begin their bottom-dwelling life.
Spotfin Anglerfish tend to stay put and do not move far. Unlike most reef fish that swim actively around their territory, these fish sit in one spot for long periods, relying on camouflage rather than speed.

Species Interaction

Spotfin Anglerfish: A Diver's Find in Reef and Rubble

Snorkelling & Diving
Research & Rare Encounters
Ecosystem Role

Interactions with people are almost entirely through underwater observation. Divers and snorkellers who know what to look for occasionally find this master of camouflage perched motionless on sponges or reef rubble, making it a prized sighting for photographers. The species also attracts interest from researchers and taxonomists working on the diverse and complex anglerfish family.

Species
Sustainability

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Teleostei
Order: Lophiiformes
Family: Antennariidae
Genus: Abantennarius
Species: Abantennarius nummifer

Conservation Status

The Spotfin Anglerfish has not been assessed by the IUCN Red List, and it holds no listing under Australia’s EPBC Act. As a small, cryptic reef fish of no commercial significance, it falls outside the scope of most fishery or conservation assessments. Its status remains unclassified.