Ocellated frogfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ocellated frogfish |
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The ocellated frogfish (Fowlerichthys ocellatus) is a fascinating type of ray-finned fish known as a frogfish. It belongs to the family called Antennariidae. This unique fish makes its home in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean.
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How Scientists Name the Ocellated Frogfish
Scientists give every animal a special name. The ocellated frogfish was first officially described in 1801. Two German naturalists, Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider, gave it the name Lophius histrio ocellatus. They found the first example of this fish near Havana.
This frogfish is very similar to another species, F. senegalensis. Scientists group animals into families and orders. The Fowlerichthys group, which includes our frogfish, is part of the Antennariidae family. This family is then placed within a larger group called Lophiiformes.
What Does the Name Mean?
The name Fowlerichthys honors an American fish expert, Henry Weed Fowler. He worked at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. He provided a very important fish specimen for scientists to study. The second part of the name, ichthys, simply means "fish."
The specific name, ocellatus, is a Latin word. It means "having ocelli" or "eye-like spots." This is a perfect description for this fish. It has two or three spots that look just like eyes on its body.
What Does the Ocellated Frogfish Look Like?
The ocellated frogfish has a body that is a bit flat from side to side. It looks somewhat round or globe-shaped. Its eyes are on the sides of its head. It also has a very large mouth that points upwards. Inside its mouth are many small teeth.
Its gill openings are tiny and located behind its pectoral fins. These fins are like arms with an elbow-like joint. They connect broadly to the fish's body. The frogfish has three special spines on its back. The first spine is called an illicium. It is about the same length as the second spine. At the top of the illicium is a lure, called an esca. This lure looks like a bunch of long, thin threads.
The second spine is curved and connected to the fish's head by a thin skin flap. The third spine can move freely. The main back fin has 13 soft rays. The fin on its belly, called the anal fin, has 8 soft rays. The back edges of its top and bottom fins are not connected to its tail fin.
The skin of this frogfish is covered in many tiny, branched spikes. Its color can change a lot. It might be orange or a mix of yellow and brown. It usually has three big, clear eye-like spots. One is on the lower middle part of its back fin. Another is right below that spot. The third is in the middle of its tail fin. It also has many small dark spots on its lower head and body. This fish can grow up to 38 centimeters (about 15 inches) long. This makes it the biggest frogfish in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
Where Does the Ocellated Frogfish Live?
The ocellated frogfish lives in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean. You can find it as far north as North Carolina. Its range extends south through the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It also lives along the northern coast of South America, in places like Colombia and Venezuela.
This fish prefers to live on rocky areas and coral reefs. It can be found at different depths, from 1 meter (about 3 feet) to 150 meters (about 490 feet) deep. However, it usually lives between 20 and 50 meters (about 65 to 165 feet) deep.
What Does the Ocellated Frogfish Eat and How Does it Reproduce?
The ocellated frogfish is a piscivorous predator. This means it mainly eats other fish. When it's not hunting, it stays very still. It waits for its prey to come close.
When female frogfish are ready to lay eggs, their ovaries look like tightly wound double scrolls. The eggs are laid in a special jelly-like mass. This mass floats in the water, helping the eggs to develop safely.
