Antennariidae
(including Pterophrynidae)
by T. W. Pietsch
Body short, globose, slightly compressed. Mouth large, oblique to vertical, with numerous, small villiform teeth. Gill opening restricted to small pore behind pectoral fin base. First dorsal spine free, well developed and covered with skin. Pectoral fin lobe elongate, leg-like. Skin spinulose or naked, often covered with membranous filaments or flaps.
Bottom living in shallow water or among floating sargassum weed. Attract prey by wriggling lure on modified dorsal fin spine. Ovaries tightly rolled like a double scroll, and eggs liberated in single, large, buoyant gelatinous mass.
Genera 12; in Clofnam area 2.
Recent revision: Pietsch and Grobecker 1987.