Chomp!
We've come across the three spot frogfish several times before while exploring Hantu, but yesterday was the first time we ever caught one in action on tape!
Opinions on the appearance of the frogfish differ. Some of us think it's rather cute, with its huge upward-pointing mouth and googly eyes, round ball-like shape, and because of the way it waddles across the sand using its paw-like modified anal fins. Just try turning one upside down and you'll see what I mean. Others think the huge mouth, googly eyes and excellent camouflage resembling an algae-covered rock make them look ugly and sinister.
Yesterday's frogfish was quite cooperative, despite being moved around quite a bit. Chay Hoon had found it under a rock, and we'd shifted it to a couple of other pools of water in our attempts to video it before finding the perfect location in a still pool of water where there was a nice pocket beside another algae-covered rock. It cooperated perfectly, settling in within seconds of us putting it down. The rock had a nice u-shaped pocket, perfect for a frogfish to curl comfortably into and pose for the camera.
As dusk fell and we turned on the light canons, we noticed some small fish in the pool of water. And just as we were watching, the camera pointed directly at the gaping mouth of the frogfish, a small chequered cardinalfish (Apogon margaritaphorus) swam into range! Strangely enough, the frogfish had its lure tucked away, and was obviously tracking the fish, inching closer and closer on its side until it was about an inch away, before quickly gulping it down. It wasn't as fast as I'd thought it would be, having seen another frogfish explode into action before. Sometimes when they strike you only notice the movement, and that the prey is gone, and conclude that it has been eaten. Maybe it was because it was striking from the side, or that it didn't need to strike fast, but you could see it reach up and engulf the fish in its huge mouth.
Having done this, it opened and closed its huge mouth a few times more, as if swallowing - frogfish lack teeth, and swallow their prey whole. It then contentedly ambled back to its nice pocket and resumed looking like the rock, opening its mouth to burp a few times, and hoping for another tasty morsel to drop in.
Frogfish are extremely specialised piscivores (fish-eaters), with several extreme adaptations that help them catch their prey. They eat any fish they can successfully catch, and their mouth can extend up to 12 times its size to engulf larger prey items. They have been known to eat lionfish and scorpionfish without any ill-effects. Frogfish are well-known for their rod and lure technique of catching fish. Their first dorsal spine is highly modified to look like the prey items of the fish they eat. They will wave their rod, and make their lure move amazingly like live prey, all the while relying on their excellent camouflage to prevent the fish from seeing them. When the fish comes closer, they explode into action, employing a technique known as gape and suck to engulf the prey. This takes a tiny fraction of a second, the fastest of any fish, and usually it's hard to see it actually feeding because it moves so quickly. It is said that they can grab fish out of a school without the others noticing that it is missing!
Apparently, from our observations yesterday, the frogfish also has an alternate method of catching fish, actually tracking and sneaking up on the prey. Its excellent camouflage also hides it while it does this, the target fish obviously being none-the-wiser. However, it is unclear when and why the frogfish would choose to exercise either option.
The frogfish (Lophiocharon trisignatus) is shown here, looking just like a rock. Can you spot it? (Hint: the mouth is slightly open) Another small fish is shown here, swimming oblivious to the threat of the well-camouflaged predator.
There it is! The mouth is wide open. Can you see how it uses its modified paw-like anal fin to prop itself up against the rock?
For more fascinating information about this amazing predator, visit this page.
Opinions on the appearance of the frogfish differ. Some of us think it's rather cute, with its huge upward-pointing mouth and googly eyes, round ball-like shape, and because of the way it waddles across the sand using its paw-like modified anal fins. Just try turning one upside down and you'll see what I mean. Others think the huge mouth, googly eyes and excellent camouflage resembling an algae-covered rock make them look ugly and sinister.
Yesterday's frogfish was quite cooperative, despite being moved around quite a bit. Chay Hoon had found it under a rock, and we'd shifted it to a couple of other pools of water in our attempts to video it before finding the perfect location in a still pool of water where there was a nice pocket beside another algae-covered rock. It cooperated perfectly, settling in within seconds of us putting it down. The rock had a nice u-shaped pocket, perfect for a frogfish to curl comfortably into and pose for the camera.
As dusk fell and we turned on the light canons, we noticed some small fish in the pool of water. And just as we were watching, the camera pointed directly at the gaping mouth of the frogfish, a small chequered cardinalfish (Apogon margaritaphorus) swam into range! Strangely enough, the frogfish had its lure tucked away, and was obviously tracking the fish, inching closer and closer on its side until it was about an inch away, before quickly gulping it down. It wasn't as fast as I'd thought it would be, having seen another frogfish explode into action before. Sometimes when they strike you only notice the movement, and that the prey is gone, and conclude that it has been eaten. Maybe it was because it was striking from the side, or that it didn't need to strike fast, but you could see it reach up and engulf the fish in its huge mouth.
Having done this, it opened and closed its huge mouth a few times more, as if swallowing - frogfish lack teeth, and swallow their prey whole. It then contentedly ambled back to its nice pocket and resumed looking like the rock, opening its mouth to burp a few times, and hoping for another tasty morsel to drop in.
Frogfish are extremely specialised piscivores (fish-eaters), with several extreme adaptations that help them catch their prey. They eat any fish they can successfully catch, and their mouth can extend up to 12 times its size to engulf larger prey items. They have been known to eat lionfish and scorpionfish without any ill-effects. Frogfish are well-known for their rod and lure technique of catching fish. Their first dorsal spine is highly modified to look like the prey items of the fish they eat. They will wave their rod, and make their lure move amazingly like live prey, all the while relying on their excellent camouflage to prevent the fish from seeing them. When the fish comes closer, they explode into action, employing a technique known as gape and suck to engulf the prey. This takes a tiny fraction of a second, the fastest of any fish, and usually it's hard to see it actually feeding because it moves so quickly. It is said that they can grab fish out of a school without the others noticing that it is missing!
Apparently, from our observations yesterday, the frogfish also has an alternate method of catching fish, actually tracking and sneaking up on the prey. Its excellent camouflage also hides it while it does this, the target fish obviously being none-the-wiser. However, it is unclear when and why the frogfish would choose to exercise either option.
The frogfish (Lophiocharon trisignatus) is shown here, looking just like a rock. Can you spot it? (Hint: the mouth is slightly open) Another small fish is shown here, swimming oblivious to the threat of the well-camouflaged predator.
There it is! The mouth is wide open. Can you see how it uses its modified paw-like anal fin to prop itself up against the rock?
For more fascinating information about this amazing predator, visit this page.
1 Comments:
alamak. this frogfish is so cute! he looks just like a rock... quite unlike the ridiculous sponge-like ones i've seen in manado. frogfishes are my favourite!
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