View allAll Photos Tagged Toadfish
Here is a Splendid Toadfish being cleaned by a golden coral cleaner shrimp in Cozumel, Mexico. This is one of the species that is endemic to Cozumel and is a pretty hard fish to find. Kudos go to my wonderful wife and dive buddy.
The Rod and Reef Slam fishing tournament is held on the Choptank River on Oct. 7, 2017. The tournament was hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to highlight the return of trophy fish species that rely on oyster reef habitat in Chesapeake Bay. Cook's Point is a site where CBF has installed reef balls to spur oyster recovery, and other partners that restored reefs featured in the tournament include NOAA, Coastal Conservation Association, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION
The Chesapeake Bay Program's photographic archive is available for media and non-commercial use at no charge. To request permission, send an email briefly describing the proposed use to requests@chesapeakebay.net. Please do not attach jpegs. Instead, reference the corresponding Flickr URL of the image.
A photo credit mentioning the Chesapeake Bay Program is mandatory. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in any way that suggests approval or endorsement of the Chesapeake Bay Program. Requestors should also respect the publicity rights of individuals photographed, and seek their consent if necessary.
May/June just finished an exploration trip to the Sula Islands with Diego of SDAA and Hendrik for the local Government. The trip was to assess the diving potential and to make plans for a much longer and more detailed trip later in the year. The area was rich with diverse habitats from pristine reefs to mangroves, muck dives, jetty dives, island lakes and sheer wall drop offs. Looking forward to heading back as there is huge potential.
Oyster Toadfish hiding on the wreck of the SS Suloide, Outer Banks, this is in one of the ships boilers.
Off of Morehead City, NC, USA. August 13th 2011.
Freshwater Lionfish
Batrachomoeus trispinosus
2/12/07
Freshwater Lionfish, Batrachomoeus trispinosus, is actually a Toadfish whose character and, in its own way, whose natural beauty helps make it popular with freshwater and brackish water aquarists. Having many of the same habits as Saltwater Lionfish, this Lionfish is completely harmless (not venomous.) Its spines can cause pain if brushed against while cleaning the aquarium or netting the fish, but they pose no other threat. A predator in its native waters of Northwest Australia, Thailand, and Papau New Guinea, Freshwater Lionfish will consume feeder fish and other fish small enough to fit into its mouth. Growing to nearly a foot in length in the wild, it is best housed with larger fish from its initial introduction. Numerous places to hide and to perch will help the Freshwater Lionfish feel at home. (reference)
TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned or Bony Fishes)
Order: Batrachoidformes (Only family is below)
Family: Batrachoididae (Toadfishes)
Genus/species: Porichthys notatus
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS Toadfishes have large flattened heads and tapered bodies and are the only family in the order. The humming toadfish (aka plainfin midshipman) is scaleless with four lateral lines and eyes high on a large head with a large mouth. The toadfish can be up to 30 cm (1 ft) long; the dorsal fin holds a mild poison. The toadfish possesses photophores (light organs), which are arranged on the underside of the head in a U-shape and are used primarily to attract prey.
DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT Found from Alaska to the Gulf of California. Its habitat ranges from intertidal areas to deeper water over sand and mud bottoms. The toadfish returns to shallow intertidal waters to reproduce and is seasonally common in San
Francisco, Suisun, and San Pablo Bays.
DIET IN THE WILD Omnivore: eats worms, crustaceans, mollusks and other fish. Hides in rock crevices among bottom vegetation, or digs dens in bottom sediments to ambush prey. Diet provides the ingredients for fluorescence.
PREDATORS They are prey for seals and sea lions.
REPRODUCTION After building and guarding a nest of rocks, the male entices females by humming his “love song,” a loud sound produced by vibrating a set of sonic muscles on its air bladder 6,000
times a minute for more than an hour at a time. The female chooses her mate, deposits her eggs in the nest, and the male fertilizes and guards them. Males try to attract several females to the same nest.
CONSERVATION Toadfish are not endangered though they are taken by local fishermen as a food fish and by trawlers as a source of fish meal and oil. They are prey for seals and sea lions.
REMARKS For many years Sausalito CA residents complained of an annoying noise that kept them awake at night during the summer months. The cause was uncertain, but theories were rampant: underwater surveillance equipment, secret weapons testing, extraterrestrial intrusions were all put forth. Then in the early 1990s the Academy’s Senior Curator and then Director of Steinhart Aquarium, John McCosker, investigated and ultimately reassured irritated residents that the sound had no destructive intent, only a reproductive one.
The remarkable endurance of the toadfish’s sonic muscles are the subject of on-going research and may lead to clues to fighting human muscle disease as well as general insights into muscle structure and function.
Water planet Senses Cluster Sound WP40
7-1-13
7-11-14
Icthy. cart 2013-2017
Leopard toadfish (Opsanus pardus ). Gulf of Mexico.
Credit: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC.
We all know that on a clear calm day we can see our reflection in a pool of water. But did you know that it's the same for the fish? This shot looks horizontally in a shallow rock pool; the green strip is the shallow water in the distance. Above that you can see the reflection on the underside of the water surface. Can you also see the toadfish? Shelly Beach, Manly
Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish. The family includes many familiar species which are variously called puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish, toadfish, and toadies.[1] They are morphologically similar to the closely related porcupinefish, which have large conspicuous spines (unlike the small, almost sandpaper-like spines of Tetraodontidae). The scientific name, Tetraodontidae, refers to the four large teeth, fused into an upper and lower plate, which are used for crushing the shells of crustaceans and mollusks, and red worms, their natural prey.
Puffer Fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world, the first being a Golden Poison Frog. The skin and certain internal organs of many Tetraodontidae are highly toxic to humans, but nevertheless the meat of some species is considered a delicacy in both Japan (as fugu) and Korea (as bok-uh).
The Tetraodontidae contains at least 121 species of puffers in 19 genera.[1] They are most diverse in the tropics and relatively uncommon in the temperate zone and completely absent from cold waters. Pufferfish are mostly found in coastal regions though some are oceanic (e.g., Lagocephalus lagocephalus) or live in the deep sea (e.g., Sphoeroides pachygaster). A large number of puffers are found in brackish and fresh waters: at least 39 marine species enter brackish or freshwater to feed or breed (e.g., Arothron hispidus), and a further 28 species are completely freshwater fish in distribution and never enter the sea (e.g., Colomesus asellus).[2]
Description courtesty of Wikipedia.
Photographer: Joseph Szymanski
98E03571 (30 September 1997) -- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- An oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau), like those that are part of the Neurolab payload on Space Shuttle Mission STS-90, is shown in its holding tank in the Space Station Processing Facility. Each fish is between eight and 14 inches long. Toadfish live in an estuarine environment and are native to areas along the Northeast coast of the United States. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system. This fish is an excellent model for looking at vestibular function because the architecture of its inner and middle ear are similar to those of mammals with respect to the vestibular apparatus. (KSC Number 98PC-414)
The Rod and Reef Slam fishing tournament is held on the Choptank River on Oct. 7, 2017. The tournament was hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to highlight the return of trophy fish species that rely on oyster reef habitat in Chesapeake Bay. Cook's Point is a site where CBF has installed reef balls to spur oyster recovery, and other partners that restored reefs featured in the tournament include NOAA, Coastal Conservation Association, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION
The Chesapeake Bay Program's photographic archive is available for media and non-commercial use at no charge. To request permission, send an email briefly describing the proposed use to requests@chesapeakebay.net. Please do not attach jpegs. Instead, reference the corresponding Flickr URL of the image.
A photo credit mentioning the Chesapeake Bay Program is mandatory. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in any way that suggests approval or endorsement of the Chesapeake Bay Program. Requestors should also respect the publicity rights of individuals photographed, and seek their consent if necessary.
The Rod and Reef Slam fishing tournament is held on the Choptank River on Oct. 7, 2017. The tournament was hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to highlight the return of trophy fish species that rely on oyster reef habitat in Chesapeake Bay. Cook's Point is a site where CBF has installed reef balls to spur oyster recovery, and other partners that restored reefs featured in the tournament include NOAA, Coastal Conservation Association, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION
The Chesapeake Bay Program's photographic archive is available for media and non-commercial use at no charge. To request permission, send an email briefly describing the proposed use to requests@chesapeakebay.net. Please do not attach jpegs. Instead, reference the corresponding Flickr URL of the image.
A photo credit mentioning the Chesapeake Bay Program is mandatory. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in any way that suggests approval or endorsement of the Chesapeake Bay Program. Requestors should also respect the publicity rights of individuals photographed, and seek their consent if necessary.
Leopard Toadfish. Sorry the colors are a little messed up. This pic came out VERY green, so I tried to correct it. Anyone want to buy me a strobe?
Taken at St. Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach, FL.
98E03575 (30 September 1997) -- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- An oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau), like those that are part of the Neurolab payload on Space Shuttle Mission STS-90, is shown in its holding tank in the Space Station Processing Facility. Each fish is between eight and 14 inches long. Toadfish live in an estuarine environment and are native to areas along the Northeast coast of the United States. Since they are bottom dwellers that live in cracks and crevices, a tube is provided in its tank to give it a place to retreat and hide. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system. This fish is an excellent model for looking at vestibular function because the architecture of its inner and middle ear are similar to those of mammals with respect to the vestibular apparatus. (KSC Number 98PC-418)
Smooth Toadfish - Tetractenos glaber (Fréminville, 1813) [more of this species]
This is the most common species of pufferfish in South-eastern Australia. It can be identified by its red eyes, smooth skin and the spotting pattern on its back. This consists of regular sized spots all over with larger spots forming vertical strips on its back. Its tail is clear to yellowish with an orange or at least a yellower lower third.
Date: March 4, 2012
Location: Lorne [more at this location]
Country: Australia
Click here to view my photographic wildlife checklists
Click here to view my fishing blog
©Copyright Notice
This photograph and all those within my photostream are protected by copyright. They may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without written permission.
98E03573 (30 September 1997) -- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Bill Kroeger, an aquatic technician for the Bionetics Corporation, examines an oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau), like those that are part of the Neurolab payload on Space Shuttle Mission STS-90, in its holding tank in the Space Station Processing Facility. Each fish is between eight and 14 inches long. Toadfish live in an estuarine environment and are native to areas along the Northeast coast of the United States. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system. This fish is an excellent model for looking at vestibular function because the architecture of its inner and middle ear are similar to those of mammals with respect to the vestibular apparatus. (KSC Number 98PC-416)
TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned or Bony Fishes)
Order: Batrachoidformes (Only family is below)
Family: Batrachoididae (Toadfishes)
Genus/species: Porichthys notatus
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS Toadfishes have large flattened heads and tapered bodies and are the only family in the order. The humming toadfish (aka plainfin midshipman) is scaleless with four lateral lines and eyes high on a large head with a large mouth. The toadfish can be up to 30 cm (1 ft) long; the dorsal fin holds a mild poison. The toadfish possesses photophores (light organs), which are arranged on the underside of the head in a U-shape and are used primarily to attract prey.
DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT Found from Alaska to the Gulf of California. Its habitat ranges from intertidal areas to deeper water over sand and mud bottoms. The toadfish returns to shallow intertidal waters to reproduce and is seasonally common in San
Francisco, Suisun, and San Pablo Bays.
DIET IN THE WILD Omnivore: eats worms, crustaceans, mollusks and other fish. Hides in rock crevices among bottom vegetation, or digs dens in bottom sediments to ambush prey. Diet provides the ingredients for fluorescence.
PREDATORS They are prey for seals and sea lions.
REPRODUCTION After building and guarding a nest of rocks, the male entices females by humming his “love song,” a loud sound produced by vibrating a set of sonic muscles on its air bladder 6,000
times a minute for more than an hour at a time. The female chooses her mate, deposits her eggs in the nest, and the male fertilizes and guards them. Males try to attract several females to the same nest.
CONSERVATION Toadfish are not endangered though they are taken by local fishermen as a food fish and by trawlers as a source of fish meal and oil. They are prey for seals and sea lions.
REMARKS For many years Sausalito CA residents complained of an annoying noise that kept them awake at night during the summer months. The cause was uncertain, but theories were rampant: underwater surveillance equipment, secret weapons testing, extraterrestrial intrusions were all put forth. Then in the early 1990s the Academy’s Senior Curator and then Director of Steinhart Aquarium, John McCosker, investigated and ultimately reassured irritated residents that the sound had no destructive intent, only a reproductive one.
The remarkable endurance of the toadfish’s sonic muscles are the subject of on-going research and may lead to clues to fighting human muscle disease as well as general insights into muscle structure and function.
Water planet Senses Cluster Sound WP40
7-1-13
7-11-14
Icthy. cart 2013-2017
98E03574 (30 September 1997) -- KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau), like those that are part of the Neurolab payload on Space Shuttle Mission STS-90, are shown in their holding tank in the Space Station Processing Facility. Each fish is between 8 and 14 inches long. Toadfish live in an estuarine environment and are native to areas along the Northeast coast of the United States. Since they are bottom dwellers that live in cracks and crevices, tubes are provided in their tank to give them a place to retreat and hide. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system. The toadfish fish is an excellent model for looking at vestibular function because the architecture of its inner and middle ear are similar to those of mammals with respect to the vestibular apparatus. (KSC Number 98PC-417)
The northern snakehead Channa argus is a native of China that has been released into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Snakeheads are voracious predators that can grow to almost 3 feet long. Snakeheads can disrupt aquatic ecosystems through predation, displacement, and competition for food; transmit parasites or diseases; and impact local economies. View the previous picture for a local look-alike, the oyster toadfish.
Photo courtesy of Eric Hilton.