Striped Anglerfish

It never ceases to amaze me what you can find in the Haven if you look hard enough. On a dive with Robb Westerdyk and Jane Hunt in early summer 2011 we stumbled across a juvenile Striped anglerfish (Antennarius striatus). Since this time we have found more and watched them grow into very impressive specimens over the summer.

Anglerfishes have a modified first dorsal fin that they use as a lure to attract unsuspecting prey. They feed predominately on small fishes who upon seeing the lure come in for a look. Anglerfish are well known for their lightening strikes, one of the fastest movements known in the marine environment.

The Striped Anglerfish are generally found in shallow warmer water north of Sydney. They are masters of camouflage and vary greatly in colour to match in with their surroundings. They can be white, yellow, orange, black, grey or brown. We have found the juveniles in the Haven as Yellow, Orange or Black.

The Striped Anglerfish grows to a maximum length of approximately 20cm.

Keep a close eye out for these guys next time you are in the Haven. They are a fantastic little critter and tremendous to watch for a while. The way they walk on their pectoral fins in quite amazing.