Frogfish (Lophius piscatorius)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Lophius piscatorius · Authority: Linnaeus, 1758 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 126555.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Batrachus eurypterus (Düben, 1845); Batrachus piscator (Linnaeus, 1758); Batrachus piscatorius (Linnaeus, 1758); Lophius eurypterus Düben, 1845.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=126555 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 200 cm · Common length: 100 cm · Depth range: 20–1000 m · Habitat zone: bathydemersal · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 63.8 of 100 · Fishery importance: highly commercial · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Occurs on sandy and muddy bottoms from the coast (below 20 m, Ref. 12382) down to depths of 1,000 m. May also be found on rocky bottoms (Ref. 12382). It lies half-buried in the sediment waiting for its prey. It attracts prey by means of its fishing filament (Ref. 5377). Feeds mainly on fishes, occasionally sea-birds. Marketed fresh and frozen; eaten steamed, sautéed, broiled, boiled, fried, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988). It is a well-studied species in Europe and is sold without the skin and the head under the name 'queue de Lotte' (Ref. 5377). Does not adapt well in home aquariums due to its large size (Ref. 12382).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 716) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Lophius-piscatorius.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

74,871 georeferenced occurrence records for Lophius piscatorius are published through GBIF from 55 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 509 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 44 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (27,747); Ireland (24,009); Spain (7,481); France (6,277); Norway (5,653).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2415075) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2415075&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=126555 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Lophius piscatorius Linnaeus, 1758 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 198610) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/198610/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2415075) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2415075/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Frogfishes are small, short and stocky, and sometimes covered in spinules and other appendages to aid in camouflage. The camouflage aids in protection from predators and enables them to lure prey. Many species can change colour; some are covered with other organisms, such as algae or hydrozoa. In keeping with this camouflage, frogfishes typically move slowly, lying in wait for prey, and then striking extremely rapidly, in as little as 6 milliseconds.

Few traces of frogfishes remain in the fossil record, though Fowlerichthys monodi is known from the Miocene of Algeria, and a number of species are known from the Eocene of Italy.

The frogfish family, Antennariidae, has its name derived from Antennarius, its type genus. Antennarius suffixes -ius to antenna, an allusion to first dorsal spine being adapted into a tentacle on the snout used as a lure to attract prey.

Antennariidae was first proposed as a family in 1822 by the Polish zoologist Feliks Paweł Jarocki. The 5th edition of the Fishes of the World recognises 13 genera within the family but no subfamilies. Other authorities recognise two subfamilies, the Antennariinae and the Histiophryninae, while others treat these as two separate families. The Antennariidae is classified within the suborder Antennarioidei within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes. The Antennariidae is regarded, with its sister taxon, the Tetrabrachiidae as the most derived clade within the suborder Antennarioidei.

The following classification is based on Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes, based on Maile et al.

Subfamily Antennariinae Jarocki 1822 (Fibonacci frogfishes)

†Eophryne Carnevale & Pietsch, 2009 (Early Eocene of Italy)

Histionotophorus Eastman, 1904 (Early Eocene of Italy)

Orrichthys Carnevale & Pietsch, 2010 (Early Eocene of Italy)

Subfamily Fowlerichthyinae Maile et al., 2025 (fanfin frogfishes)

Subfamily Histiophryninae Arnold & Pietsch, 2012 (starfingered frogfishes)

Subfamily Lophichthyinae Boeseman, 1964 (lophichthyin frogfishes)

Subfamily Rhycherinae Hart et al., 2022 (Balrog frogfishes)

Source: Wikipedia: Frogfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.