A fish swims through the water just above a collection of coral on the bottom. Unexpectedly, a hairy, blob-like creature emerges from the coral, takes the fish in its mouth, and devours it. The unusual creature is not a mythological sea monster, but a hairy frogfish. The uniqueness of its appearance isn’t the only one.
It is apparent that the water is home to a diverse range of strange species. With the exception of the occasional researcher, the bulk of them bumble peacefully across the ocean floor. Then he went on to say that some species stand out and are undeniably favorites of photographers and divers. Anyone who has seen images of these famous divers knows they are on their bucket list. The Hairy Frogfish is one of these very exceptional species.
The hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus) is one of those fish that makes you question, “Why?” Alternatively, you may say, “Huh?” They are typically HAIRY, as their name implies, as well as Frogfish, which makes them interesting in and of itself. You read it correctly—a fish with hair. or at the very least a hair-like material Here’s an image of a fantastic example to back up my point:
If you’re asking why, here’s what we know: hiding appears to be the primary goal for many of the animals I’ve talked about. This species appears to produce hair where filamentous algae are prevalent; the hair mimics the algae and obscures the animal’s body structure. Hairy Frogfish are not always hairy; in fact, they are frequently found without hair. In those cases, they are not always referred to as “Hairy Frogfish.” Their scientific name, Antennarius striatus, reflects the fact that they have stripes on their flanks.
So seeing a hairy Antennarius striatus is like unexpectedly seeing a zebra covered in very long hairs, with a fishing rod springing out of its head and a mouth big enough to fit an antelope. Let me just provide this mental image to explain how bizarre a hairy frogfish is:
The nightmare zebra would also be able to change colors. Not only to a certain shade of grey or brown, but to nearly every color in the rainbow! Hairy frogfish come in a variety of hues, including yellow, red, orange, black, and white. Again, blending in is the goal, therefore immature white sea urchins are usually found in areas with a high concentration of dead sea urchin shells (which are white). This white variant is frequently hairless in order to more precisely simulate the shell fragments. The black color morph is my favorite; it appears to take on this hue when it comes into contact with living (black) sea urchins.
Responding to the other obvious question (How?) is more challenging. There are several possibilities floating about, but I couldn’t find a single paper that detailed how the process worked. We’re not sure, but it looks like the “hairs” are filaments growing from the skin. Frogfish usually have algae developing on them, adding to the confusion. This hairy appearance is shared by various species of ghostpipefish and scorpionfish, as well as frogfish. The presence or absence of some algae appears to impact its development, albeit the specific processes remain unknown.
Many divers assume that the hairy frogfish can only be found in well-known muck areas like as Lembeh Strait and Anilao. They truly are among the most common frogfish species. They’ve been sighted in Brazil and at Florida’s Blue Heron Bridge, as well as in Perth and Sydney, Australia. There is still need for more investigation, but genetic analysis suggests that these ubiquitous Hairy Frogfishes may represent many species.
