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Eastern
Atlantic If not from the areas above |
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)
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Information30cm
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Antennarius pictus (Painted frogfish)
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Information10-16cm
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These frogfishes are common in Japan and are smaller than 10cm:
Antennarius maculatus (Warty or Clown frogfish)
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Information8-10cm
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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)
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Information9-13cm
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Abantennarius dorehensis (New Guinea Frogfish)
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Information2.5-5cm
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Abantennarius nummifer (Spotfin frogfish)
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Information10cm
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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)
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Information12-14cm
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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)
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Information1.5-2cm
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Antennarius sarasa (Calico frogfish)
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Junior synonym for Fowlerichthys scriptissimus (formerly Antennarius scriptissimus)
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Untergeordnetes Synonym für
Fowlerichthys scriptissimus (vorher Antennarius scriptissimus) |
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Abantennarius rosaceus has a long 2nd spine with small bushes.
Abantennarius rosaceus (Rosy frogfish, Spiny-tufted Frogfish)
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Information4cm
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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)
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Information7cm
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Antennatus flagellatus (Whip Frogfish) has a very long lure (3.6 times second dorsal spine)
Antennatus flagellatus (Whip Frogfish)
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Information6cm
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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)
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Information9cm
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Histiophryne sp.2 (Bearded Taiwan Frogfish - Bärtiger Taiwan Anglerfisch)
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Information4-6cm?
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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)
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Information5-6cm
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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.