Gulf toadfish

Gulf toadfish
Gulf toadfish after being caught by hook and line
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Batrachoidiformes
Family: Batrachoididae
Genus: Opsanus
Species: O. beta
Binomial name
Opsanus beta
(Goode & Bean, 1880)
Synonyms

Batrachus tau beta Goode & Bean, 1880
Opsanus vandeuseni Fowler, 1939

The Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta) is a species of toadfish found in the Gulf of Mexico.[1]

Description

Gulf toadfish commonly weigh one to three lbs. and measure 11-14" but smaller ones are sometimes caught weighing a fourth of a lb. measuring 4-5".

Distribution

The Gulf toadfish is found in the Gulf of Mexico commonly inshore around bridges and structure such as pilings. They prefer shallow areas near baitfish populations.

Diet

The Gulf toadfish is an opportunistic feeder and feeds on the bottom. They prefer to be near areas supporting baitfish so that they can feed without having to travel far.

Angling

The Gulf toadfish is commonly considered a trash fish. They appear dangerous and slimy so people refrain from eating them. They will eat anglers' baits readily and prevent them from catching game fish. They will usually eat chunks of bait, especially wide baits, such as cut squid or frozen fish.

Toxins

Gulf toadfish have a slimy coating on their scales that can cause physical irritation.

As food

Gulf toadfish are hardly eaten and little is known about their flavor, but because they have toxic slime, they may be considered inedible.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/1/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.