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Blackspot Anglerfish
Tathicarpus butleri Ogilby, 1907
An 8 cm long Blackspot Anglerfish caught at a depth of 2 m, Susan River, near Hervey Bay, southern Queensland, September 2007. Photo taken at Reefworld. Photo © J. Stocks. View larger image.
The Blackspot Anglerfish has a stout body with variably developed skin filaments. Its colouration can range from pale grey to greenish or brown with various markings on the head and sides. Its has tall dorsal, anal and caudal fins.
The pectoral fins are 'arm-like', the rays can be moved individually, allowing the fish to grasp objects and to splay the rays when moving over the bottom (see Related Links below to view movies). The fish in the image was caught because it was holding on to the plastic mesh of a crab pot using its pectoral fins.
The species grows to about 10 cm in length.
It is a benthic species that is found in tropical inshore and coral reef waters of Papua New Guinea and Australia.
In Australia it is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south on the east coast to southern Queensland.
It has also been called Butler’s Frogfish.
Thank you to Dr Ted Pietsch for identifying the fish and to J. Stocks for providing the image, movie and continuing updates on the fish which is now taking live prey.
Related links
- View low resolution movies of this fish (wmv 228k, mov 376k).
- Movies page - higher res. movies in wmv and mov formats.
- View the anglerfishes list.
- View the Family Antennariidae list.
Further reading
- 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.
- Pietsch, T.W. & D.B. Grobecker. 1987. Frogfishes of the World. Systematics, Zoogeography, and Behavioural Ecology. Stanford University Press. Pp. 420.
- Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J., & G.G. Leyland. 1985. Continental Shelf Fishes of northern and north-western Australia. An illustrated Guide. CSIRO Division of Fisheries Research. Pp. 375.
