Species: Lophiodes caulinaris, Pacific anglerfish, Spotted-tail angler, Spotted-tail goosefish, White-spotted goosefish
Lophiodes caulinaris (Garman, 1899)
Spotted-tail goosefish, Pacific anglerfish, White-spotted goosefish, Spotted-tail angler
Head and front of body flattened, broad, body narrowing behind, head with bony prickles; ridge from top of eye to snout smooth; mouth large, with large sharp teeth; eyes on top of head; head and body with scattered skin flaps; dorsal spines and rays I + I + I + III / 8, 1st spine with fishing pole with complex "lure" (bearing pennant-like flap, long cirri, and, usually, dark, stalked, eye-like appendages; anal rays 6; pectoral fins limb-like, 18-19 (16-21); gill opening large, behind and extending in front of pectoral base.
Mottled brown; outer half of pectoral fins blackish with white spots, and narrow white margin; 2nd and 3rd dorsal spines not black; caudal fin dusky dark brown to blackish with vertical row of ~6 white spots across middle of fin; lining of gut cavity pale.
Size: reaches about 40 cm.
Habitat: sandy and muddy bottoms.
Depth range 15-380 m; frequently captured by trawlers.
Southern California to the Gulf of California to Peru, and Cocos and Malpelo.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom only
- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Mud
- Soft bottom only
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Sand & gravel
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- No Data
- Carnivore
- Diet
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- No Data
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Bony fishes
- Egg Type
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- Pelagic larva
- No data
- Pelagic
- Global Endemism
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- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- All species
- East Pacific endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- TEP endemic
- Continent + Island (s)
- Island (s)
- Continent
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 40
- Depth Range Min
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- 15
- Depth Range Max
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- 380
