Histrio histrio
Sargassumfish
NS
GNR
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Lophiiformes (Anglerfish)
Antennariidae (Frogfishes)
Histrio
Histrio histrio (Sargassumfish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Globose and moderately compressed body, two cutaneous cirri along midline between upper jaw and illicium, large pelvic fins, no dermal spinules. Distal one-fifth to one-fourth of maxilla beneath skin folds. Eye diameter 5% to 8.7% of SL. Illicium less than one-half of second cephalic dorsal spine length, about 4.5% to 9.3% of SL. Esca an oval-shaped tapering appendage with parallel folds and short filaments. Second cephalic dorsal spine narrow, straight to slightly curved, 13.3% to 19.3% of SL. Third cephalic dorsal spine narrow, slightly curved, 19.3% to 29.3% of SL. Pectoral fin with 9 to 11 simple rays. Second dorsal fin with 11 to 13 rays, posteriormost 2 or 3 bifurcate. Anal fin rays 6 to 8, posteriormost 2 to 6 bifurcate. Vertebrae number 18 or 19. Skin with small rounded papillae and compressed appendages.
Variable and changeable color, from grayish white to streaks and mottling of brown, olive, and yellow, with small brown to black spots and irregular white lines. Pectoral and pelvic fins occasionally edged in orange, cutaneous filaments white, and dark bands or streaks radiate from eyes.
Distribution
Gulf of Maine to Uruguay, including Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea
Habitat Associations
Pelagic between 50 and 600 m (larvae and postlarvae up to 4 mm SL), surface associated with sargassum weed (larger specimens)
Associated with sargassum weed
Biology
Maximum known size is 141 mm SL
Found near the surface, usually associated with floating objects (Ref. 26340) or Sargassum. Found near shore and occasionally among floating seaweeds (Ref. 57225). Commonly blown into shore and bay waters during storms (Ref. 7251). Epipelagic (Ref. 58302). A solitary (Ref. 26340) and voracious predator (Ref. 5521). They feed on fishes and shrimps that seek refuge in the floating weeds (Ref. 48635). Oviparous. Eggs are bound in ribbon-like sheath or mass of gelatinous mucus called 'egg raft' or 'veil' (Ref. 6773, 48635). Solitary or loose groups among floating seaweed (Ref 90102).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Oviparous. During courtship, the male follows the female closely then both rush to the surface to spawn (Ref. 205). At this point, eggs are produced in a gelatinous floating mass or 'raft' and inseminated by the male. The eggs remain embedded in this raft until hatching (Ref. 240).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2013-05-09. Resilience: High (Fec assumed to be > 10,000).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: commercial.
References
Longley and Hildebrand 1941 (as Histrio gibba)
Schultz 1957
Hoese and Moore 1977
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Pietsch and Grobecker 1987
Cervigon 1991
Boschung 1992
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p.
Pietsch, T.W. and D.B. Grobecker (1987) Frogfishes of the world. Systematics, zoogeography, and behavioral ecology. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 420 p.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Masuda, H. and G.R. Allen (1993) Meeresfische der Welt - Groß-Indopazifische Region. Tetra Verlag, Herrenteich, Melle. 528 p.
Paugy, D. (2003) Antennariidae. p. 277-283 In C. Lévêque, D. Paugy and G.G. Teugels (eds.) Faune des poissons d'eaux douce et saumâtres de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, Tome 2. Coll. Faune et Flore tropicales 40. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren, Belgique, Museum National d'Histoire Naturalle, Paris, France and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France. 815 p.
Mundy, B.C. (2005) Checklist of the fishes of the Hawaiian Archipelago. Bishop Mus. Bull. Zool. (6):1-704.
Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdmann (2012) Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth, Australia: Universitiy of Hawai'i Press, Volumes I-III. Tropical Reef Research.
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