frogfish
Camouflaged reef ambusher
Frogfish are stocky, warty marine fish that sit motionless on the seafloor, camouflaged to match sponges or coral.
They have a lure—a modified dorsal spine—that dangles above their mouth to attract prey, which they swallow in milliseconds.
Found in tropical and subtropical waters, frogfish are popular with underwater photographers for their bizarre appearance.
Swimming appendages
- pectoralOf the chest
- modifiedChanged in some way
- gillsAquatic respiratory organs
- fleshyThick with soft tissue
warty · globular · compressed · mouth · upturned · lure · esca · scaleless
Surprise strike from concealment
- lureThing that tempts
- strikeForceful impact or stoppage
- preyAnimal being hunted
- engulfCompletely surround and cover
suction · rapid · gape · gulp · voracious · esca · wiggle · attract
Copy of the original
- lureThing that tempts
- worm-likeResembling a legless crawler
- escaFungal vine disease
- decoyFalse target for misdirection
bait · attract · resemblance · motion · wiggling · antenna · deception
Underwater rock or coral formation
- coralMarine skeletal formation
- seafloorOcean's solid base
- tropicalOf hot, humid regions
- saltwaterOcean water, chemically speaking
Indo-Pacific · Caribbean · benthic · sponge · rubble · substrate · shallow · habitat
Surprise strike from concealment
- crypticObscure in meaning
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
- blendCombine into mixture
invisible · lurk · coloration · stealth · adaptation · texture · substrate · warty
fins
Swimming appendages
fleshy · warty · globular · compressed · mouth · upturned · lure · esca · scaleless · stocky
ambush
Surprise strike from concealment
engulf · suction · rapid · gape · gulp · voracious · esca · wiggle · attract · lightning-fast
imitation
Copy of the original
decoy · bait · attract · resemblance · motion · wiggling · antenna · deception
reef
Underwater rock or coral formation
saltwater · Indo-Pacific · Caribbean · benthic · sponge · rubble · substrate · shallow · habitat · coastal
ambush
Surprise strike from concealment
- crypticObscure in meaning
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
blend · invisible · lurk · coloration · stealth · adaptation · texture · substrate · warty · fleshy
walking
Locomotion on foot
slow-moving · hopping · ambling · substrate · seafloor · waddling · perching · clambering · sedentary
- frogfish
- marine lifeshark, sea turtles, manatees, whale, dolphins
- ambush predatorscrocodile, alligator, trapdoor spider, praying mantis, antlion
- reef creaturesreef shark, moray eel, lionfish, grouper, triggerfish
- sea creaturescrab, lobster, shrimp, jellyfish, octopus
- tropical fishclownfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish, triggerfish
frogfishsailfish
Swift, long-billed fish
tuna · mako shark · wahoo · marlin · bluefin tuna
fish, frog, fishing, frogs, anglerfish