Frogfish and Dragonets Codexery

Rhycherus filamentosus

A well-camouflaged ambush predator endemic to southern Australia.

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Rhycherus filamentosus

Scubagirl85 · via Wikipedia: Rhycherus filamentosus · CC BY-SA 3.0

The tasselled anglerfish, scientifically named Rhycherus filamentosus, belongs to the frogfish group and is found only in the waters off southern Australia, specifically within the southeastern Indian Ocean and southwestern Pacific Ocean.[1] This bottom-dwelling fish spends most of its time on the seafloor and moves by using its pectoral and pelvic fins in a walking-like motion rather than through typical swimming.[2]

Scientific classification

  1. KingdomAnimalia
  2. PhylumChordata
  3. ClassActinopterygii
  4. DivisionTeleostei
  5. OrderLophiiformes
  6. FamilyAntennariidae
  7. GenusRhycherus
  8. SpeciesRhycherus filamentosus

Named by (Castelnau, 1872)

Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Rhycherus filamentosus (CC BY-SA 4.0) · differs from this box at family: WoRMS AphiaID 282605 (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: Rhycherus filamentosus and a personA 0.23 m long rhycherus filamentosus drawn to scale next to a 1.8 m tall person. Schematic shapes, not a likeness.0.23 m1.8 m

Largest length in the source, 0.23 m, next to a 1.8 m person.

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

Where the rhycherus filamentosus has been recorded

Where the rhycherus filamentosus has been recorded23 mapped locations from 236 GBIF occurrence records; marked places: Pacific Ocean, Gulf St VincentPacific OceanGulf St Vincent

Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (236 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 23 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 species occurs in the southeastern Indian Ocean and southwestern Pacific Ocean, endemic to Australia.[3] It is associated with reefs and can be found down to about 60 m depth.[3] The geographic distribution of this species covers the area from Spencer Gulf in South Australia (at 130°E longitude) eastward to the far end of Bass Strait (at 149°E longitude).[3] The body shape of this frogfish is rounded and compressed, featuring eyes positioned on the sides of the head and a large mouth that opens at an oblique angle.[4]

What was originally the first spine on the dorsal fin has become a long, thin illicium, at the tip of which sits a pale, worm-shaped lure known as the esca.[4] Numerous thread-like and filamentous skin outgrowths cover the body, giving it an appearance similar to the fronds of red algae.[5] The predominant body color is reddish-brown, marked by vertical bands, irregular spots in both dark and light brown shades, and a whitish belly area.[5] Maximum recorded total length for Rhycherus filamentosus reaches approximately 23 centimeters.[4]

What the specialist sources record

The Fishes of Australia account notes that the specific name filamentosus is from Latin, meaning "filamentous", in reference to the skin filaments covering the head and body.[6] The same source states that this species differs from Rhycherus gloveri in having a longer illicium (16.7-31.6% SL versus 9.9-17.6% SL) and an esca consisting of a pair of large, worm-like appendages with a low, broad medial flap.[6] The FishBase record lists the depth range as 0 to 60 m and the geographic coordinates as 35°S - 47°S, 130°E - 149°E.[7] The Tree of Life Web Project describes the skin as smooth, without dermal spinules, but covered with close-set, elongate cutaneous appendages that are easily lost through inadequate preservation.[8]

The World Register of Marine Species places this species in the family Rhycheridae, order Lophiiformes.[9]

Biology and space

This species hunts by hiding in camouflage and waiting to ambush; it lures prey by wiggling its esca, then rapidly opens its mouth to create suction that pulls the victim inside.[2]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Rhycherus filamentosus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bray, D.J., "Tasselled Anglerfish: Rhycherus filamentosus", Fishes of Australia, 2018; "Rhycherus filamentosus (Castelnau, 1872)", FishBase (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Rhycherus filamentosus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Encyclopedia of Fishes", Academic Press, 1998, p. 138–139; "Encyclopedia of Fishes", Academic Press, 1998, p. 138–139 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Rhycherus filamentosus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Rhycherus filamentosus (Castelnau, 1872)", FishBase (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Rhycherus filamentosus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Pietsch, Theodore W., "Antennariidae: Frogfishes", Tree of Life Web Project, 2005 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Rhycherus filamentosus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bray, D.J., "Tasselled Anglerfish: Rhycherus filamentosus", Fishes of Australia, 2018 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Bray, D.J., "Tasselled Anglerfish: Rhycherus filamentosus", Fishes of Australia, 2018. facts only, no text reused. fishesofaustralia.net.au
  7. "Rhycherus filamentosus (Castelnau, 1872)", FishBase. facts only, no text reused. fishbase.se
  8. Pietsch, Theodore W., "Antennariidae: Frogfishes", Tree of Life Web Project, 2005. facts only, no text reused. tolweb.org
  9. World Register of Marine Species, Rhycherus filamentosus (AphiaID 282605). CC BY 4.0. marinespecies.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Rhycherus filamentosus (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

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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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