Australian Anglerfish

Paul Macdonald · Issue 79, Jul/Aug 2014 · pp. 78–80

Products mentioned: Ricoh GX8, Sea & Sea housing, SeaLife strobe, Nikon D700, Sea & Sea YS110 strobe

Anglerfishes are a strange family of around 40 species with pectoral fins modified for crawling, the first dorsal spine modified into a device for luring prey and the 2nd and 3rd spines long and separated. They have large extendable mouths and expandable stomachs for feeding on large prey. These odd creatures are very difficult to spot by divers as they resemble the sponge or weed of the reefs they inhabit. Whilst known as anglerfish in Australia, they are also known as frogfish in other counties. There are 23 anglerfish species found in Australia with 3 commonly found (and endemic) to Southern Australia being the Smooth, Prickly and Tasselled Anglerfishes. Anglerfishes are of the Antennariidae family and are found in almost all tropical and subtropical oceans and seas around the world. They live generally on the ocean floor around coral or rock reefs. They are often brightly coloured an…