User:Bob the Wikipedian/Maluku frogfish

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Maluku frogfish

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Lophiiformes
Family:	Antennariidae?
Genus:	Histiophryne?
Species:	H.? sp. (2008)

Binomial name

Histiophryne? sp. (2008)

Maluku frogfish is a recently discovered frogfish which may represent a new family of vertebrates. The closest genus it resembles, according to Professor Theodore Pietsch, is Histiophryne, although it is more likely something new.

The Maluku frogfish is a 4-inch-long tan frogfish with psychedelic pink stripes in a fingerprint pattern. The fish is from Ambon Island, Indonesia. It crawls on its pectoral fins. The fish's skin is flabby, like other frogfishes. The skin may be covered in a protective mucus to avoid tearing when rubbed against coral.

1 Discovery
2 Habitat
3 Diet
4 Breeding
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Discovery

Toby Fadirsyair discovered the fish in 1993, but didn't see it again for 15 years. The species was first photographed during its second sighting in January of 2008 by Buck and Fitrie Randolph and Fadirsyair. This is different from other anglerfish in that it lacks a luring appendage on its forehead and pelvic fins and has a flat face with forward-facing eyes, meaning the fish has the same kind of depth perception as humans, which is unusual for fish.