This is the hairy looking beast is the striated frogfish and you’re not gonna believe how it catches it’s food.
Why do they call it the hairy frogfish?
The fish is a terrible swimmer and does more “walking” due to the design of their side fins which actually have joints like toes. And much like frogs, the frogfish will attempt to stuff any creature into their over sized mouths.
Their body is covered in 1,000’s of fleshy spines that looks just like… you guessed it… hair. These hair like body extensions are called spinules and help the frogfish to blend into coral, sponges and sea weed. These unique “hairs” can also change color to match their surroundings, making this fish extremely difficult to spot on the ocean floor.
You can find this crafty creature in oceans all over the world hanging out near sandy bottoms, by coral reef, sponges, or hiding in trash and debris.
Did you know that when the frogfish is in a favorable spot for hunting that it will stay in the same position on the ocean floor for weeks at a time.
So how does it catch it’s prey?
The frogfish is known as an angler fish. They have a special adaptation on the top of their head that hangs out in front of it’s face like fishing lure. This can sometimes look a shrimp or a small fish that dangles and attracts unsuspecting prey. The camouflaged frogfish will wait til it’s victim gets close enough and then BAM! strike with lightening speed so fast, that’s it’s unseen by the human eye.
Here’s another surprising fact. Frogfish are also cannibals, meaning they eat their own kind. Males have been known to kill and eat a female frogfish if she stays too close after mating.
