New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

🌊 Marine Least Concern 🌡️ Tropical

Warty frogfish

Antennarius maculatus Desjardins, 1840
Max Length
15 cm
Max Weight
Lifespan
Trophic Level
4.2
Depth
1–15 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
10.00/100
Typical Length
Depth Zone
reef

📖 Overview

Inhabit sheltered rocky reefs . Adults are usually with sponges . Juveniles openly on reefs looking like nudibranchs . Feeds on fishes . Oviparous. Eggs are bound in ribbon-like sheath or mass of gelatinous mucus called 'egg raft' or 'veil' . Solitary, frequently among algae, sponges and soft corals (Ref 90102).

Scientific Name
Antennarius maculatus
Authority
Desjardins, 1840
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
15 cm
Depth Range
1–15 m
Latitude
24°S – 30°N
Trophic Level
4.2
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
10.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 6 - 7. Characterized by numerous prominent wart-like protuberances on its skin and a large esca that mimics a tiny fish. Bony part of the illicium with numerous crossbands and approximately twice as long as the 2nd dorsal spine. Coloration is highly variable, ranging from cream to yellow, brown, or black with scattered dark circular spots and saddles or blotches ranging from white to pink, rust-red, or red. Heavily spotted individuals resemble A. pictus. Usually has red or orange margins on all fins and the first band across the body diverts to the posterior edge of the eye which distinguishes it from A. pictus . : short and / or deep; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

Like other members of their family, they have a benthic and solitary lifestyle. They gather during mating period, but do not tolerate each other any more after the act of fertilization. The female can kill or eat the male if he stays close.

🦐 Diet

As all frogfishes, A. hispidus is a voracious carnivore which can attack all small animals that pass within its "strike range", mainly fishes. Its prey can vary in size to close to its own size.

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous

Oviparous. Eggs are bound in ribbon-like sheath or mass of gelatinous mucus called 'egg raft' or 'veil' .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 15 m . Tropical; 30°N - 24°S West Pacific: Maldives (Ref.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🪸 Reef Associated
Trophic Level
4.2±0.73
🧍 Solitary
Food Items

fishes (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.02692 × L2.96 (TL)
Max TL
15cm
Dorsal Spines
3
Dorsal Rays
12
Anal Rays
7

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2021

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
High
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
10.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
4.2
Apex / Top predator
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Climate Zone
Tropical
Latitude Range
30°N – 24°S
Described By
Desjardins, 1840

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Clown Anglerfish · Largespotted Angler · Wartskin Angler · Wartskin Frogfish · Warty Anglerfish · Warty Frogfish
🌍CES rozedranec červenoskvrnný
🇩🇰Danish Marmoreret tudsefisk
🇩🇪German Clown-Anglerfisch · Warzen-Anglerfisch
🇫🇷French Antennaire verruqueux
🇮🇹Italian Antennario bicolore · Antennario maculato · Antennario pagliaccio · Pesce rana bicolore · Pesce rana maculato · Pesce rana pagliaccio
🇯🇵Japanese Kumadori-izariuo · Kumadorikaeruanko · クマドリカエルアンコウ
🇳🇱Dutch Wrattige voelsprietvis
🇵🇹Portuguese Peixe-sapo-palhaço
🇷🇺Russian Бородавчатый удильщик
🇪🇸Spanish Ranisapo payaso
🌍TAH nohu
🌍THA ปลากบจุด
🇨🇳Chinese 五腳虎

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Antennarius guentheri Bleeker 1864 Synonym
Antennarius guntheri Bleeker 1864 Synonym
Antennarius oligospilos Bleeker 1857 Synonym
Antennarius oligospilus Bleeker 1865 Synonym
Antennarius phymatodes Bleeker 1857 Synonym
Chironectes maculatus Desjardins 1840 Synonym
Phymatophryne maculata Desjardins 1840 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) — 1 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet — be the first to log one!

View all observations for Warty frogfish ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.