Frogfish and Dragonets Codexery

Antennatus tuberosus

A camouflaged ambush predator with a long lure.

Last updated

Antennatus tuberosus is a marine anglerfish in the family Antennariidae, order Lophiiformes.[1] The maximum standard length recorded for this species is 9 cm.[2] This fish is sometimes gathered for sale in aquariums.[3]

Scientific classification

  1. KingdomAnimalia
  2. PhylumChordata
  3. ClassActinopterygii
  4. DivisionTeleostei
  5. OrderLophiiformes
  6. FamilyAntennariidae
  7. GenusAntennatus
  8. SpeciesAntennatus tuberosus

Named by (Cuvier, 1817)

Close relatives

Other species of Antennatus with a Codexery entry.

Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Antennatus tuberosus (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 217855 (CC BY 4.0)

Conservation status

Least Concern (LC)

  1. LC▲ this species
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX
Population trend
Not held in our sources — see the assessment
Assessment published
2022

Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category

How big is it?

Size comparison: Antennatus tuberosus and a personA 0.09 m long antennatus tuberosus drawn to scale next to a 1.8 m tall person. Schematic shapes, not a likeness.0.09 m1.8 m

Largest length in the source, 0.09 m, next to a 1.8 m person.

Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Antennatus tuberosus

Where the antennatus tuberosus has been recorded

Where the antennatus tuberosus has been recorded77 mapped locations from 295 GBIF occurrence records; marked places: Pitcairn Islands, Ryukyu IslandsPitcairn IslandsRyukyu Islands

Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (295 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 7 inland records left out (institution coordinates).

Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Biology and range

The Fishes of Australia account states that Antennatus tuberosus is an ambush predator that uses its illicium to lure prey.[4] It is a solitary species often found on branches of branched corals.[4] Females lay eggs in ribbon-like gelatinous masses called egg rafts or veils.[4] The species is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans from Mozambique and Madagascar east to Hawaii and the Pitcairn Islands.[5]

Its range extends north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to New Caledonia and Tonga.[5] It inhabits onshore coral reefs at depths down to 73 m.[5] The Fishes of Australia account notes the species is widespread in the tropical Indo-west-central Pacific.[2] It inhabits coral reefs from shallow reef flats to depths of 73 m, mostly at shallower depths.[2]

What the specialist sources record

The Fishes of Australia account describes the illicium as 1.5–2 times longer than the second dorsal spine, tapering to a simple tentacle lacking a distinct esca.[2] The skin is thick and firm, covered with close-set bifurcated spinules, and scales are absent.[2] The pectoral fins are prehensile with an elbow joint.[2] The Fishes of Australia account notes that the Tuberculate Anglerfish is the only species in the genus Antennatus that lacks a distinct esca.[2]

The second spine on the dorsal fin is cylindrical and does not taper, whereas the third dorsal-fin spine is merely a rounded protuberance.[2] At the base of the outermost caudal-fin rays, the rearmost edge of the soft dorsal and anal fins is connected to the body.[2]

References

  1. World Register of Marine Species, Antennatus tuberosus (AphiaID 217855). CC BY 4.0. marinespecies.org
  2. Bray, D.J., "Antennatus tuberosus", Fishes of Australia, 2020. facts only, no text reused. fishesofaustralia.net.au
  3. Wikipedia, "Antennatus tuberosus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bray, D.J., "Antennatus tuberosus", Fishes of Australia, 2020 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Antennatus tuberosus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bray, D.J., "Antennatus tuberosus", Fishes of Australia, 2020; (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Antennatus tuberosus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Theodore W Pietsch, "Coastal Fishes of the Western Indian Ocean", South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, 2022, p. 281–307; Pietsch, T., "Antennatus tuberosus", 2022; Bray, D.J., "Antennatus tuberosus", Fishes of Australia, 2020; (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Antennatus tuberosus (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

Related entries

Same family (Antennariidae)

Abantennarius nummifer Abantennarius nummifer

Named in this entry

Actinopterygii

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Test yourself

Three questions drawn from this entry’s sources. Pick an answer to check it.

1. Who first scientifically described the Antennatus tuberosus?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is Georges Cuvier.

2. To which biological order does the Antennatus tuberosus belong?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is Lophiiformes.

3. To which biological family does the Antennatus tuberosus belong?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is Antennariidae.

Answers checked against the source article

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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