WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Plainfin Midshipman

Porichthys notatus

Also known as: Barbells, California Singing Fish, Frogfish, Midshipman, Northern Midshipman, Plain Frogfish, Singing Fish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2010
Adult
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01

Overview

Found singly, hiding out of water, under rocks and seaweed, over mud and sandy bottoms, of intertidal areas and in much deeper waters.

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

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03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Eastern Pacific
LIVES IN

Found singly, hiding out of water, under rocks and seaweed, over mud and sandy bottoms, of intertidal areas and in much deeper waters.

04

Adult photos 0

05

Discussion 1

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1 comment

  • Brittney· 4 Dec 2025

    This is a sculpin

ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

Deep dive

Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumChordata
  3. classTeleostei
  4. orderBatrachoidiformes
  5. familyBatrachoididae
  6. genusPorichthys
  7. speciesPorichthys notatus Girard, 1854

SourcesWoRMSFishBase

06

More in the family

Toadfishes (Batrachoididae)