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Smooth Anglerfish
Histiophryne bougainvilli (Valenciennes, 1837)
A 7 cm long Smooth Anglerfish found washed up on the beach at Noosa Heads, Queensland, October 2007. Photo © K. Long. View larger image.
As its standard name implies, the Smooth Anglerfish is very smooth to the touch. Its colour is variable from white to pale orange or black. It can have small to moderate-sized white rimmed spots.
The species can be distinguished by its relatively long (5.4-8.9% SL) illicium. When not raised, the illicium and esca lie within a groove on the snout.
Fishes in the genus Histiophryne are unique among anglerfishes because the second and third dorsal fin spines are visible only as low bumps on the top of the head and nape. These species are also unusual because the dorsal and anal fins extend posteriorly beyond the base of the caudal fin.
The Smooth Anglerfish grows to about 9 cm in length.
It is a benthic species that has been found in inshore waters, rocky reefs and coral reefs.
In Australia the species occurs in temperate waters from southern Queensland to the central coast of Western Australia.
Two species of Histiophryne are known from Australian waters. The second is the Rodless Anglerfish, H. cryptacanthus. As its name suggests, this species has a short illicium (never greater than 4% of SL). The species occurs in South Australia and Western Australia.
Related links
- View the family Antennariidae list
- View the Anglerfishes list
Further reading
- Coleman, N. 1980. Australian Sea Fishes South of 30°S. Doubleday Australia. Pty Ltd Pp. 309.
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. in Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
