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Identification Key Frogfishes

Japan and Taiwan

All frogfish species listed here are living in Japan and Taiwan and are not striped.
For striped frogfishes living in Japan and Taiwan click here.
For a overwiew of all frogfishes from this area click here.

Size and frequency

These frogfishes are common in Japan and larger than 10cm:

Antennarius commerson and Antennarius pictus are the frogfishes most commenly found in Japan. They like to sit on exposed areas and are quite large. Unfortunately they both belong to the so called Pictus-group and it is quite difficult to distinguish them. Means of identification for frogfishes of the Antennarius pictus group.

Antennarius commerson (Giant frogfish)

Antennarius commerson - Giant frogfish (Commerson's frogfish) - Riesen Anglerfisch

Information

30cm

Antennarius commerson - Giant frogfish (Commerson's frogfish) - Riesen Anglerfisch


Antennarius pictus (Painted frogfish)

Antennarius pictus - Painted frogfish - Rundflecken Anglerfisch (bemalter Fühlerfisch)

Information

10-16cm

Antennarius pictus - Painted frogfish - Rundflecken Anglerfisch (bemalter Fühlerfisch)

These frogfishes are common in Japan and are smaller than 10cm:

Antennarius maculatus (Warty or Clown frogfish)

Antennarius maculatus - Warty Frogfish (Clown frogfish) - Warzen Anglerfisch (Clown Anglerfisch)

Information

8-10cm

Antennarius maculatus - Warty Frogfish (Clown frogfish) - Warzen Anglerfisch (Clown Anglerfisch)

Antennarius maculatus
        Warty Frogfish (Clown frogfish) - Warzen Anglerfisch (Clown Anglerfisch) Juvenile - Jungtier: Antennarius maculatus
        Warty Frogfish (Clown frogfish) - Warzen Anglerfisch (Clown Anglerfisch)

Abantennarius dorehensis, Abantennarius coccineus and Abantennarius nummifer all belong to the genus Abantennarius (formerly Antennatus) and are difficult to distinguish from each other. Here some characteristics that might help with an identification:

Abantennarius dorehensis - the esca on the lure points towards the belly and is very small.
Abantennarius coccineus - Lacks distinct tail base (dorsal and anal fins end at base of tail fin)
Abantennarius nummifer - has a large darkly pigmented basidorsal spot. The lure can have different shapes, but is mostly small and most of the time round but sometimes with filaments and dark swellings.

Abantennarius coccineus (Freckled frogfish)

Information

9-13cm

Antennatus coccineus - Antennarius coccineus - Freckled frogfish (Scarlet frogfish) - Sommersprossen Anglerfisch


Abantennarius dorehensis (New Guinea Frogfish)

Antennarius 
          dorehensis - New Guinea frogfish - Zwerg Anglerfisch (Neu Guinea Anglerfisch)

Information

2.5-5cm

Antennarius 
          dorehensis - New Guinea frogfish - Zwerg Anglerfisch (Neu Guinea Anglerfisch)


Abantennarius nummifer (Spotfin frogfish)

Antennarius 
        nummifer - Spotfin frogfish (coinbearing frogfish, whitefingered frogfish) - Rückenfleck Anglerfisch

Information

10cm

Antennarius 
        nummifer - Spotfin frogfish (coinbearing frogfish, whitefingered frogfish) - Rückenfleck Anglerfisch

These frogfishes are uncommon in Japan:

This frogfish can be identified by the typical large eye spot on the side. Found in brackish and fresh water.

Antennarius biocellatus (Twinspot or brackishwater frogfish)

Information

12-14cm


Antennarius randalli is a tiny frogfish and is identified by the round white spots which are positioned on the body and on the tail.

Antennarius randalli (Randall's frogfish)

Antennarius randalli - Randall's frogfish - Randall's Anglerfisch

Information

1.5-2cm

Antennarius randalli - Randall's frogfish - Randall's Anglerfisch


Antennarius sarasa (Calico frogfish)

Antennarius sarasa - Calico frogfish - Calico Anglerfisch

Junior synonym for Fowlerichthys scriptissimus (formerly Antennarius scriptissimus)
(Information / References)

 

Untergeordnetes Synonym für Fowlerichthys scriptissimus (vorher Antennarius scriptissimus)
(Information / Quellen)

Abantennarius rosaceus has a long 2nd spine with small bushes.

Abantennarius rosaceus (Rosy frogfish, Spiny-tufted Frogfish)

Antennarius 
                      rosaceus - Rosy frogfish - Rosa Anglerfisch

Information

4cm


Antennatus tuberosus shows honeycomb patterns on its skin, its color is yellow, redish and pink and it has a striped tail.

Antennatus tuberosus (Bandfin frogfish)

Antennatus tuberosus - Tuberculated Frogfish (Bandfin Frogfish, Pygmy Frogfish)  - "Tuberkel" Anglerfisch (Schwanzstreifen Anglerfisch, Pygmäen Anglerfisch)

Information

7cm

Antennatus tuberosus - Tuberculated Frogfish, Bandfin Frogfish, Pygmy Frogfish - "Tuberkel" Anglerfisch)Antennatus tuberosus - Tuberculated Frogfish, Bandfin Frogfish, Pygmy Frogfish - "Tuberkel" Anglerfisch)

Antennatus flagellatus (Whip Frogfish) has a very long lure (3.6 times second dorsal spine)

Antennatus flagellatus (Whip Frogfish)

Information

6cm

creme frogfish-Anglerfisch

Histiophryne cryptacanthus is characterized by the white blotches all over their body. Some have small close-set ocelli with a white margin all over their body. Some green blotches.

Histiophryne cryptacanthus (Cryptic Frogfish / Rodless frogfish - Verborgener Anglerfisch)

Histiophryne cryptacanthus (Cryptic Frogfish / Rodless frogfish - "Verborgener" Anglerfisch)

Information

9cm

Histiophryne cryptacanthus - Cryptic Frogfish -


Histiophryne sp.2 (Bearded Taiwan Frogfish - Bärtiger Taiwan Anglerfisch)

Information

4-6cm?

Histiophryne sp.2 (Bearded Taiwan Frogfish - Bärtiger Taiwan Anglerfisch)



Nudiantennarius subteres has one or more ocelli and a long, thin second dorsal spine. The skin appears to be naked (redused spinules) This frogfish was long thougt to be a new undescribed frogfish species (Anntenatus sp.).

Nudiantennarius subteres (Lembeh Frogfish - Lembeh Anglerfisch)

Nudiantennarius subteres (Lembeh Frogfish - Lembeh Anglerfisch)

Information

5-6cm

Nudiantennarius subteres (Lembeh Frogfish - Lembeh Anglerfisch)


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.

I identified all frogfishes (anglerfishes) to my best knowledge. Frogfishes are specially difficult to identify (see tips for identification) so mistakes are possible of course! Please write to me, if you have any questions. Latin names according to the newest scientific findings, ITIS Standard Report and Fishbase.


. Copyright Teresa Zubi