Antennarius pauciradiatus

Antennarius pauciradiatus, the dwarf frogfish or smallspot frogfish, is a marine ray-finned fish in the family Antennariidae, found in the western Atlantic Ocean.

The species was first described in 1957 by American ichthyologist Leonard Peter Schultz, based on a specimen from Palm Beach, Florida. Within the genus Antennarius, it belongs to the pauciradiatus species group, which also includes Randall's frogfish (A. randalli). According to the 5th edition of Fishes of the World, the genus Antennarius is placed in the family Antennariidae, suborder Antennarioidei, order Lophiiformes (the anglerfishes).

Etymology

The genus name Antennarius comes from antenna, referring to the first dorsal spine, which is modified into a snout tentacle used as a lure to attract prey. The specific name pauciradiatus combines pauci- (few) and radiatus (rayed), alluding to the fewer rays in the pectoral fin compared to Fowlerichthys species, which were thought to be its relatives when it was described.

Description

The dwarf frogfish has a globose, slightly compressed body. Its large mouth points upward and contains many small, sharp teeth. The small, round gill opening sits below and behind the pectoral fin.

There are three dorsal spines: the first is the "fishing rod," or illicium, much shorter than the second and tipped with an oval lure, or esca, covered in filament-like tentacles. The second spine is connected to the head and part of the third spine by a membrane, which includes a pocket for folding the esca. The long, curved third spine is movable and not connected to the head by a membrane. The pectoral fins are limb-like, with an elbow-like joint, and their lobes are broadly attached to the body.

The body is densely covered with bifurcated spinules. Overall color is tan, with two small brown spots on the dorsal fin. Maximum total length is 6.3 cm (2.5 in).

Distribution and habitat

This species occurs in the western Atlantic, from Bermuda, Florida, and the Bahamas south through the Caribbean Sea to Colombia. It lives at depths between 6 and 73 m (20 to 240 ft) on reefs and rocky substrates. It may have been extirpated from Bermuda due to habitat loss.