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frogfish
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A Sargassum fish, Histrio histrio, camouflaged among floating brown sargassum algae near the ocean surface in the tropical Pacific. Warty frogfish Sargassum fish (Histrio histrio)
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Sargassum fish
Sargassum fish A well-camouflaged sargassum fish (Histrio histrio) blending in with floating Sargassum algae. The fish spends most of its life swimming with holopelagic Sargassum mats.

frogfish

fish
Also known as: Antennariidae
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frogfish, any of about 60 species of small marine fishes of the family Antennariidae (order Lophiiformes), usually found in shallow, tropical waters. Frogfishes are robust, rather lumpy fishes with large mouths and, often, prickly skins. The largest species grow about 30 cm (12 inches) long.

Warty frogfish
Warty frogfishJuvenile warty frogfish (Antennarius maculatus).

Frogfishes, members of the group known as anglerfishes, are usually provided with a “fishing pole,” tipped with a fleshy “bait,” located on the snout and derived from the first dorsal fin spine. This lure is used to entice prey fish. Frogfishes vary in color; often patterned to blend with their surroundings, some are able to change color. They generally lie quietly on the bottom or crawl slowly about with their limblike pectoral fins. The sargassum fish (Histrio histrio) is patterned very much like the Sargassum seaweed in which it lives.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.