Blackspot Anglerfish
Common Name: Blackspot Anglerfish
Scientific Name: Tathicarpus butleri
Description
The Blackspot Anglerfish has a stout body with variably developed skin filaments. Its colouration can range from pale grey to greenish or brown with various markings on the head and sides. Its has tall dorsal, anal and caudal fins.
It has also been called Butler's Frogfish.
The pectoral fins are 'arm-like', the rays can be moved individually, allowing the fish to grasp objects and to splay the rays when moving over the bottom. The fish in the image was caught because it was holding on to the plastic mesh of a crab pot using its pectoral fins.
Size
The species grows to about 10 cm in length.
Location or Region Found
It is a benthic species that is found in tropical inshore and coral reef waters of Papua New Guinea and Australia.
Deep Sea Crabs
Deep Sea Shrimps
Deep Sea Lobsters