Variable Appearance
Individuals may be yellow, red or tan. The lure can appear as a pale blob or carry filaments, and a dark mark near the rear dorsal area may be weak. Color alone is therefore a poor way to identify this frogfish. Some current summaries use the combination Abantennarius coccineus; the inventory name is retained here.
Reef Shelter
The broad distribution reaches from the Red Sea and eastern Africa across the Indo-Pacific and into eastern Pacific island waters. Shallow tidepools and sheltered reef crevices are among reported habitats. Sponge and rock cover can make a stationary fish difficult to notice.
Food and Eggs
Freckled Angler takes fishes attracted within striking distance. Its eggs are released in a gelatinous raft rather than guarded in a fixed bottom nest. The maximum reference size is thirteen centimeters total length, making it much smaller than several other familiar frogfishes.
Look Beyond Color
The lure, fin structure and shape of the rear body help identify a frogfish whose background-matching colors can vary substantially.
All Lakes With Freckled Angler
Browse lakes and reservoirs with documented Freckled Angler records, listed alphabetically. Records do not establish current abundance or public access. Check the evidence and managing authority for the water you choose.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.