Theodore W. Pietsch and Rachel J. Arnold. 2020. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9781421432526. 601 p. $124.95 (hardcover).
The Antennariidae, a family of Lophiiformes commonly known as frogfishes, includes 52 species in 15 genera. Widely distributed in tropical and subtropical waters around the world, frogfishes are especially diverse in the Indo-Australian Archipelago. They have many unusual anatomical features, including pectoral and pelvic fins modified for “walking,” the first dorsal-fin ray modified to support a lure used to attract prey, and cutaneous appendages that make some species appear “hairy.” Many frogfishes are brightly or elaborately pigmented and often match the color and texture of features in their environment, such as seagrasses, corals, or sponges, aiding them both in aggressive mimicry to attract prey, and providing protective resemblance from predators. Frogfishes are increasingly common in the aquarium trade, raising conservation concerns. Certainly, this group of fishes is anatomically, behaviorally, and ecologically fascinating....