Home · Antennariidae · Giant frogfish
Giant frogfish (Antennarius commerson) — Antennariidae

Giant frogfish

Antennarius commerson
Family: Antennariidae

The Giant frogfish (Antennarius commerson) is a saltwater fish of the family Antennariidae that grows up to 45 cm.

Length
45 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–70.0 m
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: American Samoa, Australia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Colombia, Ecuador, Galapagos Is. and others

Want the complete picture on the Giant frogfish?

Get the app

Description

The giant frogfish is a large frogfish (Antennariidae) from the Indo-Pacific. The species grows to about 45 cm and has a stocky, lumpy body with skin warts; the colour is highly variable, from yellow and orange to black, matching sponges and coral. On its head it carries a rod with a lure. As a motionless ambush hunter it lures prey and engulfs it at lightning speed with its enormous mouth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Giant frogfish?

The Giant frogfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly yellow-gold.

Where does the Giant frogfish live?

The Giant frogfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: American Samoa, Australia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Colombia, Ecuador, Galapagos Is. and others

How big does the Giant frogfish get?

The Giant frogfish grows to a maximum of about 45 cm.

Is the Giant frogfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Giant frogfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Giant frogfish (Antennarius commerson) — Antennariidae — 2
Chris Spain (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Giant frogfish (Antennarius commerson) — Antennariidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Marwan Mohamad (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Giant frogfish (Antennarius commerson) — Antennariidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Rickard Zerpe (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Giant frogfish (Antennarius commerson) — Antennariidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) David R, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Giant frogfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Giant frogfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Giant frogfish sourced
Scientific name
Antennarius commerson
Family
Antennariidae
Other names
Black angler; Black fishing frog; Commerson's frogfish; Big angler; Giant anglerfish; Commerson’s frogfish; Giant stonefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
45.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
70.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: American Samoa, Australia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Colombia, Ecuador, Galapagos Is. and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Antennarius

More from the family Antennariidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Giant frogfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Giant frogfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Giant frogfish? Get the app