{{Short description|Genus of fishes}} {{redirect-multi|3|Fishing-frog|Frog fish|Monkfish|the frog found in West Africa|Fishing frog||Frogfish (disambiguation)|and|Monkfish (disambiguation)}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Monkfish | fossil_range = {{fossilrange|48.6|0}} Lutetian to present<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sepkoski |first=Jack |title=A compendium of fossil marine animal genera |journal=Bulletins of American Paleontology |volume=364 |pages=560 |date=2002 |url=http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class |access-date=2008-01-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220223520/http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class |archive-date=2009-02-20 }}</ref> | image = Monkfish.jpg | taxon = Lophius | display_parents=3 | authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | type_species = ''Lophius piscatorius'' | type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | synonyms = {{Genus list | Discolophius | Fowler, 1943 | Lophidius | Rafinesque, 1815 | Lophiopsis | Guichenot, 1867 }} | synonyms_ref = <ref name = CofF/> | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text }}
Members of the genus '''''Lophius''''', commonly called '''monkfish''', '''toadfish''',<ref>{{cite web |title=Toad-fish, n. |work=Oxford English Dictionary |url=https://www.oed.com/dictionary/toad-fish_n}}</ref> '''sea frogs''',<ref>{{cite web |title=Sea-frog, n. |work=Oxford English Dictionary |url=https://www.oed.com/dictionary/sea-frog_n}}</ref> '''fishing frogs''',<ref>{{cite web |title=Fishing-frog, n. |work=Oxford English Dictionary |url=https://www.oed.com/dictionary/fishing-frog_n}}</ref> '''frogfish''',<ref>{{cite web |title=Frogfish, n. |work=Oxford English Dictionary |url=https://www.oed.com/dictionary/frogfish_n}}</ref> and '''sea devils''',<ref>{{cite web |title=Sea-devil, n. |work=Oxford English Dictionary |url=https://www.oed.com/dictionary/sea-devil_n}}</ref> are various species of lophiid anglerfishes found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. ''Lophius'' is known as the "monk" or "monkfish" to the North Sea and North Atlantic fishermen, a name which also belongs to ''Squatina squatina'', the angelshark, a type of shark. The North European species is ''Lophius piscatorius'', and the Mediterranean species is ''Lophius budegassa''.
==Taxonomy== ''Lophius'' was first proposed as a genus by Carl Linnaeus when he described ''Lophius piscatorius'' in the 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'' given as "''in Oceano Europæo''", meaning the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Black Seas with localities mentioned including Bordeaux, Marseille and Montpellier in France; Genoa, Rome, Naples and Venice in Italy; Lesbos in Greece; and Syria.<ref name = CofF>{{Cof family|family=Lophiidae|access-date=6 March 2024}}</ref><ref name = CofF2>{{Cof genus|genus=Lophius|access-date=6 March 2024}}</ref>
The genus ''Lophius'' is one of 4 extant genera in the family Lophiidae which the 5th edition of ''Fishes of the World'' classifies in the monotypic suborder Lophioidei within the order Lophiiformes.<ref name="Nelson5">{{cite book |author1=Nelson, J.S. |author1-link=Joseph S. Nelson |author2=Grande, T.C. |author3=Wilson, M.V.H. |year=2016 |title=Fishes of the World |edition=5th |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |place=Hoboken, NJ |pages=508–518 |isbn=978-1-118-34233-6 |lccn=2015037522 |oclc=951899884 |ol=25909650M |doi=10.1002/9781119174844}}</ref> Within the Lophiidae ''Lophius'' is most closely related to ''Lophiomus'' with ''Lophiodes''' being the sister taxon to these and with ''Sladenia'' as the most basal sister group to the other three genera.<ref name="Misaki">{{cite journal |author1=Masaki Miya |author2=Theodore W Pietsch |author2-link=Theodore Wells Pietsch III |author3=James W Orr |author4=Rachel J Arnold |author5=Takashi P Satoh |author6=Andrew M Shedlock |author7=Hsuan-Ching Ho |author8=Mitsuomi Shimazaki |author9=Mamoru Yabe |author10=Mutsumi Nishida |display-authors=3 |year=2010 |title=Evolutionary history of anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes): a mitogenomic perspective |journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology |volume=10 |issue=58 |page=58 |doi=10.1186/1471-2148-10-58|doi-access=free |pmid=20178642 |bibcode=2010BMCEE..10...58M |pmc=2836326 }}</ref>
==Etymology== ''Lophius'' means "mane" and is presumably a reference to the first three spines of the first dorsal fin which are tentacle like, with three smaller spines behind them.<ref name = ETYFish>{{cite web |url=https://etyfish.org/lophiiformes1/ |title=Order LOPHIIFORMES (part 1): Families LOPHIIDAE, ANTENNARIIDAE, TETRABRACHIIDAE, LOPHICHTHYIDAE, BRACHIONICHTHYIDAE, CHAUNACIDAE and OGCOCEPHALIDAE |author=Christopher Scharpf |date=14 November 2022 |access-date=6 March 2024 |work=The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database |publisher=Christopher Scharpf}}</ref>
==Species== The seven recognized extant species in this genus are:<ref>{{FishBase genus | genus = Lophius| month = April | year = 2012}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- ! Image !! Scientific name !! Common name!! Distribution |- |150px || ''Lophius americanus'' <small>Valenciennes, 1837</small> ||American angler || Western Atlantic from Newfoundland and Quebec south to northern Florida |- | 150px|| ''Lophius budegassa'' <small>Spinola, 1807</small>||blackbellied angler || Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic |- | || ''Lophius gastrophysus'' <small>A. Miranda-Ribeiro, 1915</small> ||blackfin goosefish || coasts of northern South America, Central America, Aruba, Cuba, and Costa Rica |- | frameless|151x151px|| ''Lophius litulon'' <small>D. S. Jordan, 1902</small>||yellow goosefish || Japan, Korea, and the Yellow and East China seas. |- | 150px|| ''Lophius piscatorius'' <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small>||angler, European angler or common monkfish || northeast Atlantic, from the Barents Sea to the Strait of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea |- | || ''Lophius vaillanti'' <small>Regan, 1903</small> ||shortspine African angler || Eastern Atlantic |- |150px || ''Lophius vomerinus'' <small>Valenciennes, 1837</small> ||devil anglerfish || Durban, South Africa, as well as northern Namibia, where it is found in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans |- |}
==Description== [[File:ROM Lophius americanus.jpg|thumb|Taxidermied ''Lophius americanus'' showing the often hidden dorsal spines]] ''Lophius'' monkfishes are characterised by having highly compressed heads and bodies. The frontal ridges have a covering of low, blunt knobs or cross ridges. There is a large spine on the parietal bone and there are spines on the lower quadrate bone. The soft-rayed portion of the dorsal fin has between 9 and 12 rays and the anal fin has between 8 and 10 rays. The gill opening reaches below and to the rear of the base of the pectoral fin. There are 6 dorsal spines, those on the head are well developed but those behind the head are very small. There are two well-developed spines on the sphenotic bone and one on the epiotic bone. There is a single spine on the joint at the front of the jaw joint and a single interopercular spine. The humeral spine is also well-developed and has 2 or 3 smaller spines on it.<ref name = WIOF>{{cite book |author=Theodore W Pietsch |author-link=Theodore Wells Pietsch III |chapter=Order Lophiiformes |pages=281–307 |title=Coastal Fishes of the Western Indian Ocean |volume=2 |editor1=Phillip C Heemstra |editor2=Elaine Heemstra |editor3=David A Ebert |editor4=Wouter Holleman |editor5=John E Randall |year=2022 |isbn=978-1-990951-29-9 |publisher=South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity |url=https://saiab.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/1._wiof_volume_3_text.pdf}}</ref>
The largest species in the genus is the angler (''L. piscatorius''), with a maximum published standard length of {{cvt|200|cm}}, while the smallest is the blackfin goosefish (''L. gastrophysus'') with a maximum published total length of {{cvt|67|cm}}.<ref name="Fishbase">{{FishBase genus|genus=Lophius|month=February|year=2024}}</ref>
==Reproduction== The spawn of this genus consists of a thin sheet of transparent gelatinous material {{convert|60|-|100|cm|in|round=5|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|8|-|10|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} in length. The eggs in this sheet are in a single layer, each in its own little cavity. The spawn is free in the sea. The larvae are free-swimming and have pelvic fins with elongated filaments.
==Habitat== The East Atlantic species is found along the coasts of Europe but becomes scarce beyond 60°N latitude; it also occurs on the coasts of the Cape of Good Hope.{{clarification needed|reason=Several of the listed species inhabit the eastern Atlantic. The section reads as if it was written when there were less recognised species. |date= January 2024}} The species caught on the North American side of the Atlantic is usually ''Lophius americanus''. A third species (''Lophius budegassa''), inhabits the Mediterranean, and a fourth (''L. setigerus'') the coasts of Korea, China and Japan.{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}
The black (''L. budegassa'') and white (''L. piscatorius'') anglerfish both live in deep, inshore waters from {{convert|800|m|ft|sigfig=2}} to deeper waters (greater than {{convert|1000|m|ft|sigfig=2|disp=or}}).<ref name="Landa et al 2008">{{cite journal |last1=Landa |first1=J |last2=Quincoces |first2=I. |last3=Duarte |first3=R. |last4=Farina |first4=A.C. |last5=Dupouy |first5=H. |title=Movements of black and white anglerfish (''Lophius budegassa'' and ''L. piscatorius'') in the northeast Atlantic |journal=Fisheries Research |volume=94 |issue=1 |pages=12 |date=2008 |doi=10.1016/j.fishres.2008.04.006 |bibcode=2008FishR..94....1L |url=https://zenodo.org/record/896393 |hdl=10261/326953 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> These two species are very similar, with only a few distinctions between them. These include the colour of the peritoneum (black for ''L. budegassa'' and white for ''L. piscatorius'') and the number of rays in the second dorsal fin (''L. budegassa'', 9–10 and ''L. piscatorius'', 11–12).<ref name="Duarte et al 2001">{{cite journal |last1=Duarte |first1=Rafael |last2=Azevedo |first2=Manuela |last3=Landa |first3=Jorge |last4=Pereda |first4=Pilar |title=Reproduction of anglerfish (''Lophius budegassa'' Spinola and ''Lophius piscatorius'' Linnaeus) from the Atlantic Iberian coast |journal=Fisheries Research |volume=51 |issue=1–3 |pages=12 |date=2001 |doi=10.1016/S0165-7836(01)00259-4 |bibcode=2001FishR..51..349D |hdl=10261/327128 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> Also, minor differences in their distribution occur. Black anglerfish tend to have a more southern distribution (Mediterranean and eastern North Atlantic from the British Isles to Senegal). In contrast, the white anglerfish are distributed further north (Mediterranean, Black Sea and eastern North Atlantic from the Barents Sea to the Strait of Gibraltar).<ref name="Duarte et al 2001"/> Despite these differences, the overall distribution of the black and white anglerfish tend to overlap greatly.<ref name="Duarte et al 2001"/> A map of the distribution of anglerfish in the waters surrounding Europe and North Africa can be found in the external links section. The movements of both species of anglerfish indicate mixing of both northern and southern species could have strong implications for the geographical boundaries of the stocks from a management perspective.<ref name="Landa et al 2008"/>
==Commercial use== [[File:Ankimo2.jpg|thumb|''Ankimo'', a Japanese delicacy made of monkfish liver]] Two species, ''Lophius piscatorius'' and ''Lophius budegassa'', found in north-western Europe are referred to as monkfish, with ''L. piscatorius'' by far the most common species around the British Isles and of major fishery interest. Under UK Labelling Regulations, the phrase "monkfish" is only permitted for ''Lophiodes caulinaris'', ''Lophius americanus'', ''Lophius budegassa'' and ''Lophius piscatorius''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Fish Labelling (England) Regulations 2010 No. 420 |website=legislation.gov.uk |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/420/schedule/paragraph/3/made |access-date=27 January 2024}}</ref>
Both species of ''Lophius'' are important because they are commercially valuable species usually caught by trawl and gillnetting fleets.<ref name="Landa et al 2008"/>
Concern is expressed over the sustainability of monkfish fishing.<ref name="seafoodwatch">{{cite book |first=Melissa M. |last=Stevens |title=Seafood Watch: Monkfish Report |publisher=Monterey Bay Aquarium |year=2010 |url=http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_MonkfishReport.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916234936/http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_MonkfishReport.pdf |archive-date=2012-09-16 }}</ref> The method most commonly used to catch monkfish, beam trawling, has been described as damaging to seafloor habitats. In February 2007, the British supermarket chain Asda banned monkfish from their stores.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6318925.stm |work=BBC News Online |title=Monkfish taken off menu at Asda |date=2007-02-01 |access-date=2010-05-11 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|32em}}
== Further reading ==
* Payne, J. F.., White, Dave., Coady, Jamie. Potential Effects of Seismic Airgun Discharges on Monkfish Eggs (Lophius Americanus) and Larvae. Canada: Environmental Studies Research Funds, 2009. * Monkfish Fishery Regulations, Northeast Multispecies Fishery, Fishery Management Plan (FMP) Amendment 9, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Off the New England and Mid-Atlantic Coast: Environmental Impact Statement. United States: n.p., 1999.
{{EB1911|wstitle=Angler|volume=2|page=15}} ==External links== * {{Commons category-inline}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070502194353/http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/education/monkfish/monkfish.html Monkfish facts, Maryland Department of Natural Resources] * [http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/READ/popdy/monkfish/ NOAA Monkfish Research Program] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120522104516/http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/graphic/map-anglerfish-160-2974-cb1273160349.gif Map of Anglerfish distribution] {{Taxonbar|from=Q643135}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Lophius Category:Actinopterygii genera Category:Commercial fish Category:Extant Lutetian first appearances Category:Marine fish genera Category:Animal taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Lutetian genus first appearances