Antennatus tuberosus, the tuberculate anglerfish, pygmy angler, pygmy frogfish or tuberculated frogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This fish is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
| Antennatus tuberosus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Lophiiformes |
| Family: | Antennariidae |
| Genus: | Antennatus |
| Species: | A. tuberosus
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| Binomial name | |
| Antennatus tuberosus (Cuvier, 1817)
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| Synonyms[2] | |
Taxonomy edit
Antennatus tuberosus was first formally described Chironectes tuberosus in 1807 by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with its type locality given as Mauritius.[3] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Antennatus in the family Antennariidae within the suborder Antennarioidei within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes.[4]
Etymology edit
Antennatus tuberosus has the genus name Antennatus is derived from “given an antenna”, an allusion to first dorsal spine being adapted into a tentacle on the snout used as a lure to attract prey. The specific name, tuberosus, means "covered with lumps or tumours", assumed to be a reference to row of bumps above the eye and along the back.[5]
Description edit
Antennatus tuberosus has a long illicium, which is 50 to 100% longer than the second dorsal spine, which tapers to a simple filamentous esca, or lure. The second dorsal spine is a cylinder while the third spine is enclosed in a bump in the skin. There is no caudal peduncle. There are no scales in the skin but the skin is thick and firm and has a dense covering of bifurcated spinules. The limb-like pectoral fins has a joint resembling an elbow. The rear of the dorsal and anal fins are connected to the upper rays of the caudal fin. The colour of the body varies but is normally cream, yellow, or slate grey, with dark-brown reticulations and marbling. The head has a whitish, crusty pattern on face. The anal and caudal fins have an obvious dark-brown band and dark bands on the marguins.[6] This species has a maximum published standard length of 9 cm (3.5 in).[2]
Distribution and habitat edit
Antennatus tuberosus is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans from Mozambique and Madagascar[7] east to Hawaii and the Pitcairn Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to New Caledonia and Tonga.[1] In Australia on the northern Great Barrier Reef.[6] This species is found at depths down to 73 m (240 ft) on onshore coral reefs.[2]
Biology edit
Antennatus tuberosus is an ambush predator that lies in wait, camouflaged in the reef and uses the illicium to lure prey within striking range of the large mouth.[6] This is a solitary species that is ofen found on the branches of branched corals, It is oviparous, the females lay eggs in ribbon-like gelatinous masses called egg rafts or veils which float.[2]
Utilisation edit
Antennatus tuberosus is occasionally collected for the aquarium trade.[6]
References edit
- ^ a b Pietsch, T. (2022). "Antennatus tuberosus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T67970238A67970962. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T67970238A67970962.en. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2024). "Antennatus tuberosus" in FishBase. February 2024 version.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Antennatus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ Nelson, J.S.; Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 508–518. doi:10.1002/9781119174844. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6. LCCN 2015037522. OCLC 951899884. OL 25909650M.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf (14 November 2022). "Order LOPHIIFORMES (part 1): Families LOPHIIDAE, ANTENNARIIDAE, TETRABRACHIIDAE, LOPHICHTHYIDAE, BRACHIONICHTHYIDAE, CHAUNACIDAE and OGCOCEPHALIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d Bray, D.J. & Thompson, V.J. (2020). "Antennatus tuberosus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ Theodore W Pietsch (2022). "Order Lophiiformes". In Phillip C Heemstra; Elaine Heemstra; David A Ebert; Wouter Holleman; John E Randall (eds.). Coastal Fishes of the Western Indian Ocean (PDF). Vol. 2. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. pp. 281–307. ISBN 978-1-990951-29-9.