FISHES OF NEW YORK 661 



323 Opsanus tau (Linnaeus) 

 Toadfish; Oysterfish 



Gadiis f«M Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. ed. XII, I, 440, 1766, Carolina. 



Lophius hufo Mitchill, Trans. Lit. & Phil. Soc. N. Y. I, 463, 1815, New 

 York. 



Batrachus celatus De Kay, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 170, pi. 50, fig. 161, 1842, 

 New York. 



Batrachus tau Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. XII, 478, 1837; 

 De Kay, N. Y. Fauna, Fishes, 168, pi. 28, fig. 86, 1842; Gunther, 

 Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. Ill, 167, 1861; Storer, Hist. Fish. Mass. 105, 

 pi. XIX, figs. 1, 2, 1867; Goode & Bean, Bull. Essex Inst. XI. 11, 

 1879; Bean, Bull. U. S. F. C. VII, 135, 1888; 19th Rep. Comm. Fish. 

 N. Y. 249. 1890. 



Body robust, naked, its depth about one fourth of the stand- 

 ard length; depth of caudal peduncle one fourth length of head; 

 head broad, its length about one third that of the body with 

 head; mouth large; jaws strong, armed with blunt teeth; well 

 developed teeth on vomer; long diameter of eye one third length 

 of mandible; a broad flap above orbit; tip of maxillary, lower 

 side of mandible, and margin of preopercle fringed with cirri; 

 subopercle ending in a sharp spine; first dorsal stoall, placed 

 over base of pectorals; second dorsal long, its base about one 

 half of total length without caudal; pectorals broad, the width 

 of their base equaling one half length of head. 



D. Ill, 26-28; A. 24. 



Color dark olive; under parts lighter; black marking^ on sides 

 forming irregular bars; many pale or yellowish spots on body; 

 soft dorsal, anal, pectoral, and caudal fins with light cross bands 

 formed of light colored spots. 



In some parts of the south this species is known as the 

 oysterfish^ from its habit of living in dead oyster shells. The 

 toadfish ranges on our east coast from Cape Cod to the Gulf of 

 Mexico. The fish is said to grow to the length of 15 inches. It 

 is a voracious species, feeding upon other fishes, and upon shell- 

 fish, crabs and other Crustacea, annelids, etc. 



On rocky bottoms it occurs under stones, and on sandy and 

 muddy areas it frequents localities abounding in eelgrass. The 

 toadfish lies in concealment for its prey, and darts out quickly 

 to effect a capture. Its breeding season is during the summer 



