Anglerfishes

72 species · 8 families

Anglerfishes are masters of ambush with a built-in “rod”: a modified dorsal spine carrying a lure above the mouth. They wiggle it until curious prey comes close and then vanish lightning-fast into their enormous mouth. Many are squat, camouflage perfectly and sit motionless on the bottom or among weeds. In the deep sea, some carry a glowing lure full of light-producing bacteria. From the large monkfish on the table to bizarre deep-sea forms, it is a wondrous group.

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American angler

Lophius americanus

Lophiidae

Angler

Lophius piscatorius

Lophiidae

Anglerfish

Antennarius hispidus

Antennariidae

Anglerfish

Halieutaea stellata

Ogcocephalidae

Atlantic batfish

Dibranchus atlanticus

Ogcocephalidae

Bandtail frogfish

Antennatus strigatus

Antennariidae

Batfish

Ogcocephalus vespertilio

Ogcocephalidae

Batfish

Ogcocephalus darwini

Ogcocephalidae

Baudroie bouché noire

Lophiomus setigerus

Lophiidae

Big-eyed frogfish

Fowlerichthys radiosus

Antennariidae

Bigmouth wolftrap

Lasiognathus saccostoma

Thaumatichthyidae

Blackbellied angler

Lophius budegassa

Lophiidae

Blackfin goosefish

Lophius gastrophysus

Lophiidae

Bloody frogfish

Antennatus sanguineus

Antennariidae

Brackish-water frogfish

Antennarius biocellatus

Antennariidae

Cape monk

Lophius vomerinus

Lophiidae

no photo

Circular seabat

Halieutaea fitzsimonsi

Ogcocephalidae

Crowned netdevil

Linophryne coronata

Linophrynidae

Deepsea batfish

Coelophrys arca

Ogcocephalidae

Deepwater frogfish

Nudiantennarius subteres

Antennariidae

Doreh frogfish

Antennatus dorehensis

Antennariidae

Doublefin frogfish

Tetrabrachium ocellatum

Tetrabrachiidae

Dwarf batfish

Ogcocephalus pumilus

Ogcocephalidae

Dwarf Frogfish

Antennarius pauciradiatus

Antennariidae

Fanfin angler

Caulophryne jordani

Caulophrynidae

Flagpole frogfish

Antennarius multiocellatus

Antennariidae

Frogfish

Histrio histrio

Antennariidae

Giant frogfish

Antennarius commerson

Antennariidae

Headlight anglerfish

Linophryne lucifer

Linophrynidae

Island frogfish

Antennatus bermudensis

Antennariidae

Leopard frogfish

Antennarius pardalis

Antennariidae

Longnose batfish

Ogcocephalus nasutus

Ogcocephalidae

Longnose Batfish

Ogcocephalus corniger

Ogcocephalidae

Longnose seabat

Malthopsis lutea

Ogcocephalidae

Longspine African angler

Lophiodes kempi

Lophiidae

Nares' monkfish

Lophiodes naresi

Lophiidae

Netdevil

Borophryne apogon

Linophrynidae

Ocellated frogfish

Fowlerichthys ocellatus

Antennariidae

no photo

Pacific goosefish

Lophiodes caulinaris

Lophiidae

Painted frogfish

Antennarius pictus

Antennariidae

Pancake batfish

Halieutichthys aculeatus

Ogcocephalidae

Polka-dot batfish

Ogcocephalus radiatus

Ogcocephalidae

Polka-dot batfish

Ogcocephalus cubifrons

Ogcocephalidae

Reticulate goosefish

Lophiodes reticulatus

Lophiidae

no photo

Ring triangular batfish

Malthopsis annulifera

Ogcocephalidae

Rosy-lipped batfish

Ogcocephalus porrectus

Ogcocephalidae

Roughback Batfish

Ogcocephalus parvus

Ogcocephalidae

Roughbar frogfish

Fowlerichthys avalonis

Antennariidae

Rounded batfish

Zalieutes elater

Ogcocephalidae

Scarlet frogfish

Antennatus coccineus

Antennariidae

Senegal frogfish

Fowlerichthys senegalensis

Antennariidae

Shortfoot seabat

Coelophrys brevipes

Ogcocephalidae

Shorttail deepsea batfish

Coelophrys brevicaudata

Ogcocephalidae

Sixthread anglerfish

Linophryne sexfilis

Linophrynidae

Slantbrow batfish

Ogcocephalus declivirostris

Ogcocephalidae

no photo

Smalldisk goosefish

Lophiodes miacanthus

Lophiidae

Smoky deepsea batfish

Halieutaea fumosa

Ogcocephalidae

Smooth anglerfish

Phyllophryne scortea

Antennariidae

Soft leafvent angler

Haplophryne mollis

Linophrynidae

Soft seabat

Coelophrys mollis

Ogcocephalidae

Spearnose seabat

Malthopsis tiarella

Ogcocephalidae

Spiny seadevil

Neoceratias spinifer

Neoceratiidae

Spotfin frogfish

Antennatus nummifer

Antennariidae

Spotted batfish

Ogcocephalus pantostictus

Ogcocephalidae

Spotted batfish

Ogcocephalus notatus

Ogcocephalidae

Striated frogfish

Antennarius striatus

Antennariidae

Threadfin goosefish

Lophiodes spilurus

Lophiidae

Triangular batfish

Malthopsis gnoma

Ogcocephalidae

Tricorn batfish

Zalieutes mcgintyi

Ogcocephalidae

Tuberculated frogfish

Antennatus tuberosus

Antennariidae

Warty frogfish

Antennarius maculatus

Antennariidae

Wolftrap angler

Thaumatichthys pagidostomus

Thaumatichthyidae