Nudiantennarius

Nudiantennarius subteres

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lophiiformes
Family: Antennariidae
Genus: Nudiantennarius
Species: Nudiantennarius subteres

Nudiantennarius subteres, sometimes called the pygmy frogfish, is a minute frogfish only a few centimetres long and the sole member of its genus. It has smooth skin without the spines found in most frogfish, and often shows a pinkish, yellow or brown body with darker spots.

Its tiny size and excellent camouflage make it one of the hardest frogfish to find. It perches among rubble, algae and sponges on sandy or silty slopes, using its small lure to catch tiny shrimps and fish.

The species is known from the western Pacific, including Indonesia and the Philippines. In the Philippines it is a rare treat on muck dives, usually only found by experienced critter spotters.

Photo: Kai Squires, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist