While often overshadowed by the octopus in the realm of camouflage, frogfish are exceptional in their own right. These fascinating creatures have perfected the art of mimicry, blending seamlessly with their surroundings to deceive both prey and predators. Here are some interesting facts about them.
1. They’re anglerfish
Meet the frogfish, a fascinating member of the anglerfish family known as Antennariidae. It’s one of the most intriguing underwater creatures with unique feeding techniques and adaptations.
With a diverse portfolio of approximately 46 identified species, frogfish come in various sizes, colors, and patterns. Ranging from petite 5-centimeter individuals to impressive 50-centimeter giants, such as the giant frogfish, these creatures showcase a spectrum of characteristics. Some frogfish types are warty, hairy, freckled, giant, sargassum, striated, shaggy, eastern, or painted frogfish. Among these species, the hairy frogfish is a beloved species for photographers.
The fish earns its moniker from its striking resemblance to frogs. Sporting robust bodies, sizable mouths, and distinctive pectoral fins that sport an intriguing “elbow-like” curve at the forefront, these creatures also boast smaller pelvic fins situated just behind, mimicking legs. This unique adaptation enables them to walk across the sea bed to find food. This behavior is shared among all frogfish species.
These creatures lack traditional scales, featuring instead a textured skin adorned with tiny dermal spinules. Among these spines, the first one of the dorsal fin turns into a rod crowned with a lure known as the “Esca,” which can mimic the appearance of a worm, small fish, or shrimp. Remarkably, the fish can regenerate this lure in cases of damage. Moreover, it is biofluorescent, at least with Striated Frogfish.
2. Habitat
The fish is widespread globally, with species concentrated in different oceans, from tropical to temperate waters. The Giant frogfish, Antennarius commersoni, lives in an extensive range covering the tropical Pacific, Indian Ocean, Eastern Pacific, Red Sea, Eastern Atlantic, Western Atlantic, Asia (Indonesia and Japan), Tropical Australia, and Hawaii. However, there are some types living in the freshwater like the brackish water frogfish.
These unique creatures are primarily found on the ocean floor. Some species prefer depths of up to 330 feet. Coral reefs, rocky areas, and sandy bottoms are common habitats for these fascinating creatures. Interestingly, the saragassum frogfish takes a unique approach, preferring to make its home amidst floating saragassum weed.
3. Frogfish are camouflage masters
Like octopuses and cuttlefish, frogfish are masters of disguise. These fish employ various tactics to blend seamlessly with their surroundings, making them nearly invisible to both predators and prey.
One remarkable aspect of their camouflage is the ability to mimic different elements of their environment. Giant frogfish, for instance, can sit so still that they resemble a piece of sponge, making them challenging to spot even when right in front of your eyes. Their eyes often blend into their color, adding to their effective camouflage. Other species can resemble rocks or even algae.
Additionally, they can change their color to match the predominant hues of the area they inhabit. However the fish cannot change colors as fast as chameleons, they may need days or weeks to do this process.
The Commerson’s frogfish, for example, can change its color to yellow, pink, brown, or red, to match various sponges and rocks, while the psychedelic frogfish features white, yellow, and brown stripes resembling stony corals. With its long appendages, the hairy frogfish can mimic spiny urchins, soft corals, or algae. Even the juvenile painted frogfish can disguise as venomous nudibranchs.
This camouflage serves as a form of aggressive mimicry, allowing these fish to gain an advantage over their prey. By resembling elements of their surroundings, they can remain undetected, enabling them to launch surprise attacks on unsuspecting prey from close range. This unique adaptation parallels strategies seen in other animals, such as the alligator snapping turtle, stonefish, or ant-mimicking spider.
4. They are fearsome predators
This creature has a very unique feeding strategy. Its diet mainly includes fish and crustaceans. However, they even show cannibalism when hungry. These species are nocturnal, hunting mostly at night.
These carnivorous ambush predators rely on camouflage to remain unnoticed by potential prey. They stay still and flick their lure in front of their head to attract prey closer. As described above, frogfish have a fishing rod with Esca to attract their prey. Once the prey is in proximity, the fish swiftly opens its big mouth, creating suction and engulfing the meal. Similar to how anglers employ a variety of bait, different types of frogfish possess distinct lures that mimic various prey, ranging from worms, tiny squids, and shrimps, to crabs and fish.
This technique, known as gape-and-suck, is also used by its cousin – the anglerfish. Frogfish is the fastest ambush predator, attacking its prey in a mere 6 milliseconds, leaving scorpionfish and stonefish trailing behind at 15 milliseconds.
Since it doesn’t have teeth, it opts for a one-bite strategy to feed its prey. Its remarkable ability to expand its mouth to 12 times its usual size enables it to engulf food twice its size. However, if they try to engulf prey beyond their capabilities, they end up regurgitating it since they lack the ability to break it down into smaller, manageable pieces.
Even with their impressive camouflage ability, these creatures still have predators, such as large frogfish and moray eels. On the other hand, the juvenile faces threats from lizardfish and scorpionfish.
5. They can walk
Like red-lipped fish, frogfish possess the ability to walk or hop along the sea bed using their modified pectoral fins. This distinctive movement allows them to navigate with precision and conserve energy.
As a fish, this species can swim using jet propulsion. Rather than relying on its tail for movement, it ingeniously sucks in water through its mouth and propels itself forward by expelling it through tubelike gill openings. When it needs to stop, it either smoothly slides into place or softly nudges against obstacles.
Another interesting fact about frogfish is that it doesn’t have a swim bladder – an organ that helps them stay afloat. These species cannot live with other fish.
6. They can live for 20 years
Frogfish, fascinating creatures inhabiting the ocean, exhibit diverse reproductive behaviors and intriguing life cycles. These fish are solitary creatures, except for the mating season. During this time, the female emits a potent pheromone into the water to attract males. These males will compete fervently for a few days to earn her attention.
The winner will gently prompt the female’s readiness by nudging her abdomen. Depending on the species, the female fish will lay eggs (40,000 – 180,000 eggs at one time) in different ways.
Certain types of females release numerous eggs, later to be fertilized by the males. These eggs swiftly drift with ocean currents, seeking refuge within the reef. Some opt to deposit their eggs on rocks, corals, or plants. Alternatively, others carry the eggs themselves or affix them to the males’ brood pouch until they hatch.
Despite a low mating success rate, females might engage in multiple mating sessions within a month. After 5 days, the eggs hatch into larvae which are tiny, fully developed replicas. Yet, they still lack their lure which will develop at a later stage.
Juveniles showcase an array of colors resembling those found in poisonous sea slugs or flatworms, ranging from white to yellow. They may even exhibit scab-like or hair-like extensions. This helps them protect themselves from predators. As they mature, these colors undergo changes.
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