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Eastern
Atlantic If not from the areas above |
Identification Key Frogfishes
Tropical Australia
(Great Barrier Reef, Timor Sea, Gulf of Carpentaria, Ningaloo)
Question: Is the Frogfish striped?
In tropical Australia there are only a few frogfishes with stripes.
Yes 
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No
answer the next question
Question: can you see the lure (illicium) and the bait (esca)?
Illicium and esca of a frogfish are some of the main characteristics that differ for each species.
No
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Yes
answer the questions below
Question: The luring apparatus is
a) the same length or longer than the second dorsal spine
Yes
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a) shorter than the second dorsal spine
Yes
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a) I am not sure.....
Yes
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This identification key is only for species of the subfamily Antennariinae
(frogfishes, family Antennariidae, suborder Antennarioidei) which are
frogfishes living in tropical and Subtropical waters.
Please take note, that this is a simplified identification key. Ichthyologists
use tables with the number of dorsal, anal and pectoral rays, the length
of the illicium and other distinguishing characteristics for means of
identification.