Species: Fowlerichthys radiosus, Big-eyed Frogfish, Singlespot Frogfish

Fowlerichthys radiosus (Garman, 1896)

Singlespot Frogfish, Big-eyed Frogfish

A globular somewhat compressed body; head not spiny; eye large (7.4-11.4% of SL), on sides of head; a very large, upward directed mouth with many small teeth; a small round gill opening, below and behind pectoral base; dorsal rays I+I+I,13; "fish-pole" short, 11-19% of SL, about equal in length to 2nd dorsal spine; "lure" a small (<1/5 length of fish-pole) simple oval shape with numerous longitudinally alinged folds; second dorsal spine not strongly curved and free, connected to head by smooth membrane that is divided in two parts by a cluster of spicules, that membrane nearly reaches to base of third spine; third dorsal spine ~straight, 18-25% of SL, movable, not bound down by skin; limb-like pectoral fins with an "elbow" joint, that fin broadly connected to body; anal rays 9; pectoral rays 13; tail base present, dorsal and anal fins not connected to tail fin; pelvic fins short, with all 5 rays branched;skin of body rough, covered with close-set, double-pointed spicules.

Brown to beige; median fins occasionally barred; fish-pole usually lightly banded; a single large ocellus on the upper back and base of the dorsal fin; short dark lines radiating from eye.

Size: attains 25 cm.

Habitat: mud bottoms.

Depth:0.5-275 m.

New York to the Orinoco delta.