Frogfish, Anilao, Philippines

Frogfish are highly effecient ambush predators who use a special organ which consists of two parts, the rod (illicium) and the lure (esca), to attract prey. Once the target is within range, the frogfish can strike within 6 milliseconds, swallowing the prey whole. The frogfish's mouth and stomach can expand an astonishing amount, allowing the frogfish to swallow prey more than twice its size. We photographed this one in Anilao, Philippines. Read more in our post, Biodiversity from the Muck to the Reef: Scuba Diving Anilao, Philippines.