scubaseason

Frogfish

Antennarius commerson

Sighting evidence at Dutch Bay Wall, Kalpitiya

Giant frogfish up to 35 cm attach themselves to sponges and match their colour so precisely that even experienced guides sometimes walk past them. Their modified pectoral fins act as limbs, and they walk rather than swim between hunting positions — a behaviour that remains startling no matter how often it is witnessed. Dutch Bay's diverse sponge community provides both camouflage substrate and hunting grounds, and regular dive guides maintain a mental map of favoured frogfish territories that persist for months at a time.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Frogfish is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites