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Ranisapo de Commerson (Antennarius commerson), Zanzíbar, Tanzania, 2024-05-31, DD 10
2024-05-31
- Classification
- Photograph
- Museum
- Wikimedia Commons
- Rights
- CC BY-SA 4.0, as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Kids profiles and older: it shows nature, places, still life or a children's book. How works are placed
About this work
Commerson's frogfish or giant frogfish (Antennarius commerson), Zanzibar, Tanzania. It lives in the tropical and subtropical waters from the Indian Ocean to the eastern coasts of the Pacific Ocean. It can grow to a lengh of up to 38 centimetres (15 in) (like the one on the picture) and its large mouth is prognathous, allowing it to consume prey as large as itself. Its coloration is extremely variable, which they can change in a few weeks as they tend to match their environments. As all frogfishes, A. hispidus is a voracious carnivore which attacks any small animals that pass within range, mainly other fish, but sometimes even congeners. The first dorsal spine, the illicium, is modified for use as a fishing rod. Its extremity is endowed with a characteristic esca (lure), which resembles a small fish or shrimp with a pinkish to brownish coloration.
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