Porophryne

Lore & Background

Porophryne was first proposed as a genus in 2014 by Rachel J. Arnold, Robert Geoffrey Harcourt and Theodore Wells Pietsch III when they described the new species P. erythrodactylus, which they also designated as the type species. The species was originally photographed by Harcourt and sent to the Australian Museum for identification; staff could not identify it, so the image was sent to Pietsch, an expert in anglerfishes. Pietsch suggested it was not only a new species but a new genus and requested a specimen be collected. Harcourt and two friends obtained permits from the Department of Primary Industries in New South Wales, finding a single specimen which was formally described. The genus is a sister genus of Kuiterichthys. Some authorities classify it in the subfamily Histiophryninae within Antennariidae, while others recognise it as the family Histiophrynidae; the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within Antennariidae.

The etymology of Porophryne combines poro, meaning 'having pores', an allusion to the black spots on the head and body of most individuals that resemble the pores (oscula) of sponges it lives among, with phryne, meaning 'toad', a suffix used in anglerfish genera. The specific name erythrodactylus means 'red fingers', referring to the red colour at the tips of the fin rays of the pectoral fins and some other fins. The fish has two colour phases: one grey with scattered black spots lacking denticles, and another orange, red, pink, white, or a combination, without black spots but with skin appendages. The illicium is equal in length to the second dorsal spine, and the large oval esca is tipped by two tufts of short filaments. An obvious tuft of filaments on the midline of the lower lip may be an additional lure, a feature not known from any other anglerfish.

Reader's Guide

Porophryne is notable as a recently described genus that highlights the ongoing discovery of cryptic biodiversity in temperate Australian waters. Its description in 2014 relied on a single specimen collected after a photograph could not be identified by museum staff, underscoring the role of expert collaboration in taxonomy. The genus is distinguished from its sister genus Kuiterichthys by a completely different morphology of the second dorsal spine, which is slender at its base then suddenly expanded and almost quadrangular. The presence of a tuft of filaments on the lower lip, possibly an additional lure, is a unique feature among anglerfishes. The fish achieves camouflage by resembling algae-covered sponges in its rocky subtidal habitat. Its known distribution is limited to scattered localities between Sydney Harbour and Jervis Bay, at depths from 6 to 24 meters, typically on rocky reefs with leafy and filamentous seaweed and sponges. The species is oviparous, with eggs guarded after laying, similar to other temperate starfingered anglerfishes. Its maximum published standard length is 7.4 cm, making it a small but morphologically distinctive member of the frogfish family.

Did You Know?

• Porophryne erythrodactylus was first identified from a photograph sent to the Australian Museum, which staff could not identify.
• The genus name Porophryne alludes to the black spots on the head and body that resemble sponge pores (oscula).
• The species is known only from scattered localities between Sydney Harbour and Jervis Bay, New South Wales.