Spottedtail Goosefish, Pacific Anglerfish
Rape Rabo Manchado
(Lophiodes caulinaris)

Spottedtail Goosefish, Lophiodes caulinaris: The Spottedtail Goosefish is a true exotic and member of the Lophiidae or goosefish family that are known in Mexico as rapes pescadores.

Globally there are 14 known species of the Lophiodes Genus but only one is found in Mexican waters.

The Spottedtail Goosefish has a very broad very flat head with a large mouth with very large sharp teeth and small eyes on top.

The head has three long isolated dorsal spines the first of which has a long pennant like flap utilized to attract food which gives rise to the name “anglerfish.”

The Spottedtail Goosefish has large gill openings that are just behind the limb-like pectoral fins. The Spottedtail Goosefish has a mottled brown body with brown pectoral fins with a narrow white margin, and dark brown caudal fins with a vertical row of white spots across the middle.

The Spottedtail Goosefish is a “lie in wait” predator, feeding on small fishes and crustaceans, which are found between 50 and 1,100 feet deep in the water column over sandy and mud bottoms. It reaches a maximum length of 16 inches in length.

Distribution in Mexico fishing areas

The Spottedtail Goosefish is present in all Mexican fishing waters.

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Spottedtail Goosefish, Lophiodes caulinaris: Spottedtail Goosefish, Lophiodes caulinaris: Donated to Mexfish.com during fishing by the Mexican commercial panguero fishermen of Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico, August 2008. Size 15 inches. You will find cirri hanging all over this fish, some of which are visible on the "spots" on the tail in the lower photo. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow.

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Spottedtail Goosefish, Lophiodes caulinaris: Roberto Carlos Almanza of La Ribera, Baja California Sur, Mexico, with a specimen found floating near the beach in December of 2004. Jorge Bergin of La Ribera said, "It has a huge gapping maw of a mouth. The lower jaw juts out a couple of inches further than the upper." Photos courtesy of Jorge Bergin.

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