Like many frogfish species, A. striatus relies on stealth and lightning-fast reflexes to catch its prey.
It uses a special, extra-long spine — a modified dorsal spine — that acts like a fishing rod. The lure at the end, called an esca, wiggles like a worm to attract prey. You might recognize this method from the anglerfish.
Once a small fish, crustacean or other animal approaches, the hairy frogfish strikes. It uses jet propulsion from its gill openings and rapidly expands its mouth, creating a vacuum to swallow prey whole.
The entire action happens in less than 6 milliseconds, allowing it to outmatch even the quickest fish.
