Hairy Frogfish Spawning | Antennarius striatus

This female hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus) is aboout 16 hours away from spawning with a large orange male (see separate spawning sequence). Her abdomen is swollen with eggs in this photograph. The female inflated to about twice this size prior to spawning. As the time for spawning neared, the female appeared to increase her rate of respiration, continually pumping water past her gills, as shown here with the gill opening extended (the tube-like protrusion behind her pectoral fin).

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Filename: antennarius-striatus-striated-frogfish-spawning-japan-202009-0384.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication, reproduction or usage without prior written permission.
Image Size: 7376x4917 / 104.1MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Bony Fish Frogfish Animalia Chordata Osteichthyes Actinopterygii Lophiiformes Antennariidae Antennarius striatus Hairy Frogfish Striated Frogfish Striped Frogfish Reproduction Spawning Pacific Japan Kumamoto Prefecture
Contained in galleries: Marine Life Reproduction, Fish Photos, Marine Life | Japan

This female hairy frogfish (Antennarius striatus) is aboout 16 hours away from spawning with a large orange male (see separate spawning sequence). Her abdomen is swollen with eggs in this photograph. The female inflated to about twice this size prior to spawning. As the time for spawning neared, the female appeared to increase her rate of respiration, continually pumping water past her gills, as shown here with the gill opening extended (the tube-like protrusion behind her pectoral fin).