Frogfish: gray with yellow splotches

[bkpix]

I am just back from a dive trip to Curacao. Saw lots of amazing things out there, but one doesn't quite seem normal.

On a large Elephant Ear Sponge at about 37 feet we found a Frogfish in a color pattern we have never seen before. It was mostly gray and had patches of yellow, some with dark spots in the center of them.

We haven't found anything like them in any of our fish identification books.

Anyone know what we were seeing?

Thanks, BKPIX

 

[deborahdelamar]

If it had well-defined black spots with noticeable rings around them, it might have been an Oscilated Frogfish. Another spotted frogfish is the Island, which has been spotted (oops) off of Bonaire.

 

[bkpix]

I just added a photo of this Frogfish to my photo page, Does it Look familiar?

Thanks, BKPIX

 

[deborahdelamar]

Wish I could enlarge the photo to see the lure, fins & whether or not it has cirri. From what I see, it has a pale saddle & looks like a yellow Longlure with spots, which many of them have.

 

[Rick Murchison]

This the one you uploaded?

Rick

 

[bkpix]

No, the other one; gray with yellow.

 

[deborahdelamar]

Oooh, I ID'd the one pictured in Rick's post -- wondered why it wasn't grey! Will have a look through your gallery.

Rick - Don't know where on the Gulf you are -- hope that Gustav isn't treating you too harshly. -Deb

 

[justleesa]

It looks like a yellow one over grown with something....the frogfish here change color and stuff grow on them here...but I'm no expert...

 

[frogfishgrl]

It's Antennarius multiocellatus. They all change colors and textures, so you cannot base identification on them.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Rick - Don't know where on the Gulf you are -- hope that Gustav isn't treating you too harshly. -Deb

Just some big waves... looks like about the same from Ike.
Unless a storm moves mighty fast across the gulf this year it won't be able to be a monster - the warm water layer is the thinnest I've ever seen; water's a full 15 degrees colder than it usually is this time of year at 100 FSW (70 vs 85) so the energy density is way down...
end
And now, back to our regularly scheduled program
Rick