Sargassumfish
Histrio histrio
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Sargassumfish
- Scientific
- Histrio histrio
- Dhivehi
- ހުއިފަތު ބޮއްމަސްHuifathu bohmas
- Group
- Reef fish
- Maximum size
- Up to about 20 cm (total length) (FishBase); MRS 1997 gives max. 19 cm
- Depth and habitat
- Coral reefs and reef-associated habitats, recorded from 0 to 50 m (usually 0 to 2 m)
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2013
Description
A small frogfish covered in leafy skin flaps, mottled green, brown and yellow to match floating sargassum weed. Unlike other frogfish it lives at the surface, clinging to drifting weed with its hand-like fins and ambushing small fish and shrimps that shelter there. It may even clamber out of the water onto the weed.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi name huifathu bohmas (MRS 1997). MRS notes that rafts of sargassum drift past the east of the Maldives during calm weather in the northeast monsoon and often carry one or two sargassumfish.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Histrio-histrio.html
- fao.org /4/AD471E/AD471E00.htm
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ހުއިފަތު_ބޮއްމަސް
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Histrio_histrio_Shimoda.jpg
Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives (FAO/BOBP MAG/21) gives 'Huifathu bohmas' (Latin form). Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'ހުއިފަތު ބޮއްމަސް' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition); it matches the Latin form. FishBase also lists 'Gali-kendi', 'Gouthere-mas' under India (Minicoy/Lakshadweep Mahl dialect); not used. FLAG: the source states no traditional name was recorded and this descriptive name was coined for the book; it is not an established fishermen's name.