Blue Heron Bridge is just the second place in Florida where I’ve encountered the striated frogfish A. striatus, so it is exciting to come across a “hairy” one!  The striated frogfish is so interesting because it is one of the few fish species that is the same species worldwide.  While being an uncommon frogfish, one can still see striated frogfish in Indonesia, Australia, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Florida; just about any subtropical ocean.

Now, the species does vary in color and general appearance.  In Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi Indonesia, the striated frogfish sometimes tends to become very “hairy”, thus the name “hairy frogfish”.  Now I have read that some consider the striated frogfish in Lembeh to be a distinct species?  But, until taxonomic evidence points to that, I agree that all frogfish with the “split lure” (they use to fish with) are one species - the striated frogfish, A. striatus.  Sure they look different, wildly different here in Florida too and especially variable in St. Vincent, as I’ve seen photographs of bright pink and glowing orange striated frogfish taken in the Caribbean.

But, my fav variant of the striated frogfish is the one that grows skin filaments that blend it in perfectly with the “mucky” environment, like the one below:

He is actually a very, very small striated frogfish, about 2 inches total length, so he is quite possibly still a juvenile, although many of the male striated frogfish are quite small also.  He did seem to specialize in fishing for baby fish, recently settled highhat drum to be precise.  I’ve included the photo below as you may just be able to make out a recently hatched drum on the far right (looks like a black cross with a black dot for the eye) the frogfish’s attention is firmly fixed, and alas the little drum disappeared in an instant:

This little frogfish was a real master fisherman I must say, and with every slight change in the current he repositioned himself in a more advantageous position.  That made it nice to photograph him with different light, substrate and water conditions; see how the water and light interplay for a different perspective, would you even spot a 2 inch frogfish here?

Now I don’t know exactly why frogfish flex their jaws from time to time?  But if I made my living from lightning-fast fishing, I would “flex” regularly also.  I have also read that it could be a “pre-strike” behavior, before they take a quick “gulp”.  Of course, the actual “gulp” of the prey is so fast that I couldn’t photograph it; it’s too fast for the human eye to see I’m told.  But, after hanging out with a frogfish long enough and seeing little fishes disappear, it doesn’t take too long to get a clue as to what’s happening! :-0

Here he is waving his lure around, fishing.  Again current changed and more light penetrated the shallow water and we are treated to a rather pretty scene, at least for a frogfish who makes it’s living in the “muck”!

Hope you enjoyed “Hairy”!  Lots more to come from Blue Heron Bridge, Florida!

Best, Carol