Lophius americanus
Goosefish
NS
G5
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Lophiiformes (Anglerfish)
Lophiidae (Goosefishes)
Lophius
Lophius americanus (Goosefish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal.
Distribution
Western Atlantic: New Foundland and Labrador in Canada to northeastern Florida in USA, but uncommon in nearshore waters south of North Carolina, USA.
Habitat Associations
Marine. demersal. depth range 0-800 m.
Biology
Inhabits continental shelf, occurring deeper in southern parts of range (Ref 7251); tolerating a wide range of temperature (0-21°C) (Ref. 5951).
Max length: 120.0 cm TL; common length: 90.0 cm TL; max weight: 22560 g; max age: 30 years.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. That testes seem to develop earlier and stay ripe longer suggest multiple spawning by males. Eggs are laid in long, ribbon-shaped veils (Ref. 4842).
IUCN Red List Status: N.E. (N.E.). Resilience: Low (K=0.06-0.1; tmax=30; Fec=300,000).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish.
References
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Armstrong, M.P., J.A. Musick and J.A. Colvocoresses (1992) Age, growth, and reproduction of the goosefish Lophius americanus (Pisces: Lophiiformes). Fish. Bull. 90:217-230.
Scott, W.B. and M.G. Scott (1988) Atlantic fishes of Canada. Can. Bull. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 219:731 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.
Murdy, E.O., R.S. Birdsong and J.A. Musick (1997) Fishes of Chesapeake Bay. Smithsonian Institution Press Washington and London. 324 p.
Bowman, R.E., C.E. Stillwell, W.L. Michaels and M.D. Grosslein (2000) Food of northwest Atlantic fishes and two common species of squid. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE 155, 138 p.
Comments On Lophius americanus