Warty frogfish (Antennarius maculatus)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Antennarius maculatus · Authority: (Desjardins, 1840) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 217850.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Antennarius guentheri Bleeker, 1864; Antennarius guntheri Bleeker, 1864; Antennarius oligospilos Bleeker, 1857; Antennarius oligospilus Bleeker, 1857; Antennarius phymatodes Bleeker, 1857; Chironectes maculatus Desjardins, 1840; Phymatophryne maculata (Desjardins, 1840).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=217850 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 15 cm · Depth range: 1–15 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: of no interest · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Inhabit sheltered rocky reefs (Ref. 559). Adults are usually with sponges (Ref. 48635). Juveniles openly on reefs looking like nudibranchs (Ref. 48635). Feeds on fishes (Ref. 89972). Oviparous. Eggs are bound in ribbon-like sheath or mass of gelatinous mucus called 'egg raft' or 'veil' (Ref. 6773). Solitary, frequently among algae, sponges and soft corals (Ref 90102).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 9259) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Antennarius-maculatus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

704 georeferenced occurrence records for Antennarius maculatus are published through GBIF from 25 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 78 distinct locations from a sample of 704 records, omitting 24 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: Indonesia (339); Philippines (275); Malaysia (22); Chinese Taipei (16); Japan (7); Timor-Leste (6); Egypt (5); Thailand (4); Australia (3); Brunei Darussalam (3); Kenya (3); Mozambique (3); New Caledonia (3); Israel (2); United States of America (2).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Mauritian Exclusive Economic Zone; Seychellois Exclusive Economic Zone.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 5214788) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=5214788&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=217850 (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 Antennarius maculatus (Desjardins, 1840) 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 67968705) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/67968705/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 5214788) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/5214788/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The warty frogfish was first formally described as Chironectes maculatus in 1840 by the French zoologist Julien François Desjardins with its type locality given as Mauritius. Within the genus Antennarius the Indian frogfish belongs to the pictus species group. The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Antennarius in the family Antennariidae within the suborder Antennarioidei within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes.

Antennarius maculatus has the genus name Antennarius which 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. The specific name maculatus means "spotted", an allusion to the many brown variably sized circular dark spots on the body.

The warty frogfish grows up to 15 cm long. Like other members of its family, it has a globulous, extensible body, and its soft skin is covered with small dermal spinules. The skin is covered with numerous small, wart-like protuberances. Its large prognathous mouth allows it to consume prey its same size. The coloring of its body is extremely variable because it tends to match its living environment.

Frogfishes have the capacity to change coloration and pigment pattern in a few weeks: during coral bleaching events, they can even turn to plain white to blend in with the environment. However, the dominant coloration goes from white to black, passing through a whole range of related nuances such as cream, pink, yellow, red, and brown, often with dark, circular spots and/or with saddles. Some heavily spotted specimens can easily be confused with its close relative Antennarius pictus.

This characteristic can help to separate them: usually, A. maculatus has red or orange margins on all fins and sometimes a spike of the saddle blotch starts posterior to the eye.

The first dorsal spine, the illicium is modified and is used as a fishing rod. Its extremity is endowed with a characteristic esca (lure), which looks like a small fish with a pinkish to brownish coloration. The illicium is twice the length of the second dorsal spine and its often darkly banded. The second dorsal spine is practically straight and is mobile, and the third one is bent towards the back of the body; both are membranously attached to the head. They are well separated from each other and also from the dorsal fin.

The pectoral fins are angled and help, with the pelvic fins, to move the fish on the bottom and to keep a stable position for ambush.

The warty frogfish exhibits biofluorescence, that is, when illuminated by blue or ultraviolet light, it re-emits it as red, and appears differently than under white light illumination. Biofluorescence may assist intraspecific communication and camouflage.

A. maculatus lives in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific area from Mauritius and Reunion Island of the center of the Indian Ocean to the western part of the Pacific Ocean. It is found in sheltered rocky and coral reefs; adults are usually associated with sponges down to 20 m deep.

As all frogfishes, A. hispidus is a voracious carnivore which can attack all small animals that pass within its "strike range", mainly fishes. Its prey can vary in size to close to its own size.

Like other members of their family, they have a benthic and solitary lifestyle. They gather during mating period, but do not tolerate each other any more after the act of fertilization. The female can kill or eat the male if he stays close.

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