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Bony fish

Gulf Toadfish

Opsanus beta

Also known as: Barbells, Dogfish, Frogfish, Mudfish, Oyster Dog

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2019
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Adult
@miller2440 · Cedar Key, northern Gulf of Mexico Coast, Florida, United States · January 20151 / 20
01

Overview

Found singly, sometimes partially buried, over rock, sand and in seagrass beds, of shallow coastal bays and lagoons.

Toadfish can make a load croaking noise with their swim bladders. They breathe air when out of water for up to 24hrs. Their mouth can open and expand to the width of their bodies to engulf large prey. Has poisonous spines.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
marbledmottledstripes
Behaviour
buries in sandmakes soundssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Exact location · 3
  • Country only · 17
LIVES IN

Found singly, sometimes partially buried, over rock, sand and in seagrass beds, of shallow coastal bays and lagoons.

RANGE
04

Adult photos 20

05

Discussion 5

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

5 comments

  • Ry· 14 Jul 2017

    Caught one of these in Edgewater, Florida. Have NEVER seen anything like it!!

    Helpful· 1
  • Brian lord· 12 Jul 2017

    Caught and released one on the coast waters near Grand Isle, Louisiana

    Helpful· 1
  • Rae· 28 May 2021

    Must have caught and released about 20 of these, between the 5 of us on the Corpus christi, tx t-heads. Surprisingly had never caught a single one there prior.

    Helpful
  • Frank Macz· 2 Jul 2019

    Caught and released on July 1st at the 17 St. Jetty off of the Bolivar Peninsula near Galveston, TX. Strangest looking fish I have ever reeled in. The body felt mushy like a frog's belly.

    Helpful
  • pauwels· 3 Aug 2017

    caught one in july 2017 in islamorada in a marina first time'we saw thks fish, released it sage and healthy

    Helpful
ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

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Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumChordata
  3. classTeleostei
  4. orderBatrachoidiformes
  5. familyBatrachoididae
  6. genusOpsanus
  7. speciesOpsanus beta (Goode & Bean, 1880)

SourcesWoRMSFishBase

06

More in the family

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White-spotted Toadfish

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