Angler
📖 Overview
Occurs on sandy and muddy bottoms from the coast (below 20 m, Ref. 12382) down to depths of 1,000 m. May also be found on rocky bottoms . It lies half-buried in the sediment waiting for its prey. It attracts prey by means of its fishing filament . Feeds mainly on fishes, occasionally sea-birds. Marketed fresh and frozen; eaten steamed, sautéed, broiled, boiled, fried, microwaved and baked . It is a well-studied species in Europe and is sold without the skin and the head under the name 'queue de Lotte' . Does not adapt well in home aquariums due to its large size .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Anal soft rays: 9 - 10. Peritoneum pale. Head and body depressed. Mouth wide and cavernous. Skin thin and loose, scales absent. Esca bifid, 2 broad, flattened , leaf-like blades. Dorsal spines long, stout and bearing many well-developed tendrils; 4th spine greater than snout width .: short and / or deep; Cross section: flattened.
🌀 Behaviour
Monkfish are ambush predators that lie motionless on the seafloor, perfectly camouflaged against the substrate. They wiggle their illicium (a modified dorsal spine with a fleshy tip) to attract curious fish and invertebrates, which they engulf in a lightning-fast strike. They can consume prey approaching their own size.
🦐 Diet
Monkfish are voracious opportunists feeding on fish (including other monkfish), squid, crustaceans, and even seabirds that land on the water surface nearby. Their enormous gape allows them to consume remarkably large prey.
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 20 - 1000 m . Deep-water; 75°N - 30°N, 28°W - 46°E North Atlantic specimens attain larger sizes than those collected off West Africa and they also occur in shallower depths.
🌿 Ecology
fishes, occasionally sea-birds
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Angler is an excellent table fish with versatile culinary applications."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 76 kcal |
| Protein | 19.9 g |
| Total Fat | 1.5 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 214 mg |
| EPA | 95 mg |
| DHA | 190 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Angler · Anglerfish · Anglerfish or Monkfish · European angler · Frog-fish · Monk · Sea Monkfish · Sea anglerfish · angler-fish · bellyfish · common monkfish · goosefish · monkfish · Angler Fish |
| 🌍BRE | marache · marimorgan · mordosec |
| 🏳️Catalan | Rap · granota de mar · rap blanc |
| 🌍CES | das mořský |
| 🌍COS | rospu |
| 🌍CYM | Cythreuliaid y Môr · cythraul y môr |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Almindelig havtaske · Bredflab · Havtaske · Marulk |
| 🇩🇪German | Anglerfisch · Seeteufel |
| 🌍ELL | Βατραχόψαρο · Πεσκαντρίτσα |
| 🌍EUS | zapo zuri |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Merikrotti |
| 🇫🇷French | Baudroie commune · baudroie · baudroie, lotte de mer · diable · lotte · seillot · seyot · Marache |
| 🌍GLA | molly gowan |
| 🌍GLE | An láimhíneach · frogfish · láimhíneach |
| 🌍HEB | חכאי שדי |
| 🇭🇷Croatian | Grdobina |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | európai horgászhal |
| 🌍ISL | Skötuselur |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Martino · Rana pescatrice · Rana pescatrice europea · Rospo · coda di rospo |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | ニシアンコウ |
| 🌍MLT | Petrica · Petrica kbira |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Hozemond · Zeeduivel |
| 🌍NNO | breiflabb · ulke · breikjeft · havtaske · marulk · sjødævel · storkjeftkonge |
| 🌍NOB | breiflabb · breikjeft · sjødævel · storkjeftkonge · havtaske · marulk · ulke |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Breiflabb |
| 🇵🇱Polish | zabnica |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Tamboril · Tamboril-comum · peixe sapo · peixe-pescador · ra do mar |
| 🌍RON | Peste pescar |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Европейский удильщик · Морской черт |
| 🌍SLV | Morska žaba · morska spaka |
| 🌍SME | duorši |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Rape · Rape Blanco · Rape Común · Xuliana · pejesapo |
| 🌍SQI | Henez deti |
| 🌍SRP | Grdobina |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Marulk · havspadda |
| 🌍TUR | Fener Balığı · Fener baligi |
| 🌍UKR | Вудильник звичайний · Вудильник морський · Морський чорт · Морський чорт європейский · Морський чорт європейський |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batrachus eurypterus | Düben | 1845 | Synonym |
| Batrachus piscator | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Batrachus piscatorius | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Lophius aculeatus | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Lophius digitatus | Bonnaterre | - | Synonym |
| Lophius europaeus | Shaw | 1804 | Synonym |
| Lophius eurypterus | Düben | 1845 | Synonym |
| Lophius fergusonis | Walbaum | - | Synonym |
| Lophius gadicensis | Cabrera, Pérez & Haenseler | 1817 | Synonym |
📚 Scientific References
13 publications cited
- Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (Editors) (2024). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. FishBase Consortium. Link ↗
- IUCN (2024). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Link ↗
- GBIF Secretariat (2024). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. DOI ↗
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (2024). FoodData Central. USDA National Nutrient Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Link ↗
- FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (2024). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Link ↗
- Kaschner, K., Kesner-Reyes, K., Garilao, C., Segschneider, J., Rius-Barile, J., Rees, T., Froese, R. (2024). AquaMaps: Predicted range maps for aquatic species. AquaMaps. Link ↗
- Nelson, J.S., Grande, T.C., Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World. 5th edition. John Wiley & Sons.
- Helfman, G.S., Collette, B.B., Facey, D.E., Bowen, B.W. (2009). The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evolution, and Ecology. 2nd edition. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Froese, R. (2006). Cube law, condition factor and weight-length relationships: history, meta-analysis and recommendations. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 22(4), 241-253. DOI ↗
- Halstead, B.W., Auerbach, P.S., Campbell, D. (1988). A Colour Atlas of Dangerous Marine Animals. Wolfe Medical Publications. Wolfe Medical.
- Balon, E.K. (1975). Reproductive Guilds of Fishes: A Proposal and Definition. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 32(6), 821-864.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 712 records indexed .
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