Tuberculated frogfish (Antennatus tuberosus)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Lophiiformes · Family: Antennariidae · Genus: Antennatus.

Accepted name: Antennatus tuberosus · Authority: (Cuvier, 1817) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 217855.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Antennarius bigibbus Commerson, 1798; Antennarius tuberosus (Cuvier, 1817); Antennarius unicornis Bennett, 1827; Chironectes reticulatus Eydoux & Souleyet, 1850; Chironectes tuberosus Cuvier, 1817; Lophius bigibbus Latreille, 1804.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=217855 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Antennatus tuberosus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 9 cm · Depth range: 0–73 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: of no interest · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Benthic species (Ref. 58302, 75154) found in inshore coral reef (Ref. 75154). The average depth for all known captures was 11.2 m.

Individuals maintained in experimental aquaria change in color from dark gray to light cream within 2 weeks. Oviparous. Eggs are bound in ribbon-like sheath or mass of gelatinous mucus called 'egg raft' or 'veil' (Ref. 6773). Solitary and sometimes among hard coral branches (Ref 90102).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 11150) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Antennatus-tuberosus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

295 georeferenced occurrence records for Antennatus tuberosus are published through GBIF from 22 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 77 distinct locations from a sample of 295 records, omitting 7 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: United States of America (160); French Polynesia (45); Philippines (15); New Caledonia (9); Papua New Guinea (8); Marshall Islands (7); Indonesia (6); Mauritius (6); Micronesia (Federated States of) (5); Comoros (5); South Africa (5); Australia (4); Fiji (3); Japan (3); Réunion (3).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Aldabra; Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone; Madagascar; Mauritian Exclusive Economic Zone; Comoran Exclusive Economic Zone; Kenyan Exclusive Economic Zone; Seychellois Exclusive Economic Zone; South Africa (country); Chagos.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2414503) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2414503&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=217855 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Antennatus tuberosus (Cuvier, 1817) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 67970238) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/67970238/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2414503) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2414503/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Antennatus tuberosus was first formally described Chironectes tuberosus in 1807 by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with its type locality given as Mauritius. The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Antennatus in the family Antennariidae within the suborder Antennarioidei within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes.

Etymology

Antennatus tuberosus has the genus name Antennatus is derived from "given an antenna", an allusion to first dorsal spine being adapted into a tentacle on the snout used as a lure to attract prey. The specific name, tuberosus, means "covered with lumps or tumours", assumed to be a reference to row of bumps above the eye and along the back.

Description

Antennatus tuberosus has a long illicium, which is 50 to 100% longer than the second dorsal spine, which tapers to a simple filamentous esca, or lure. The second dorsal spine is a cylinder while the third spine is enclosed in a bump in the skin. There is no caudal peduncle.

There are no scales in the skin but the skin is thick and firm and has a dense covering of bifurcated spinules. The limb-like pectoral fins has a joint resembling an elbow. The rear of the dorsal and anal fins are connected to the upper rays of the caudal fin. The colour of the body varies but is normally cream, yellow, or slate grey, with dark-brown reticulations and marbling.

The head has a whitish, crusty pattern on face. The anal and caudal fins have an obvious dark-brown band and dark bands on the marguins. This species has a maximum published standard length of 9 cm.

Distribution and habitat

Antennatus tuberosus is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans from Mozambique and Madagascar east to Hawaii and the Pitcairn Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to New Caledonia and Tonga. In Australia on the northern Great Barrier Reef. This species is found at depths down to 73 m on onshore coral reefs.

Biology

Antennatus tuberosus is an ambush predator that lies in wait, camouflaged in the reef and uses the illicium to lure prey within striking range of the large mouth. This is a solitary species that is often found on the branches of branched corals, It is oviparous, the females lay eggs in ribbon-like gelatinous masses called egg rafts or veils which float.

Antennatus tuberosus is occasionally collected for the aquarium trade.

Source: Wikipedia: Antennatus tuberosus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antennatus_tuberosus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.