A basal frogfish and a basal goby compared
These two nest together
in the large reptile tree (LRT, 2338 taxa), though each one nested at the base of their own separate clades. Chanaux (Fig 1) is a basal frogfish. Elacatinus (Figs 2, 3) is a basal goby.
Figure 1. Chanaux is a basal frogfish, here updated with new DGS colors. Compare to figure 2.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/chaunax588.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/chaunax588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-93563″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/chaunax588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Chanaux is a basal frogfish, here updated with new DGS colors. Compare to figure 2. ” width=”584″ height=”554″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/chaunax588.jpg?w=584&h=554 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/chaunax588.jpg?w=150&h=142 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/chaunax588.jpg?w=300&h=285 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/chaunax588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Chanaux is a basal frogfish, here updated with new DGS colors. Compare to figure 2.
This interrelationship
had to be recovered by the LRT because it is otherwise not immediately apparent based on the phylogenetic distance. Presently no taxon nests between them.
Figure 2. Elacatinus skull. Compare this goby to the basal frogfish, Chanaux, n figure 1. DGS colors added here.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/elacatinus_goby-lateral588.jpg?w=218″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/elacatinus_goby-lateral588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-93565″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/elacatinus_goby-lateral588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Elacatinus skull. Compare this goby to the basal frogfish, Chanaux, n figure 1. DGS colors added here. ” width=”584″ height=”803″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/elacatinus_goby-lateral588.jpg?w=584&h=803 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/elacatinus_goby-lateral588.jpg?w=109&h=150 109w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/elacatinus_goby-lateral588.jpg?w=218&h=300 218w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/elacatinus_goby-lateral588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Elacatinus skull. Compare this goby to the basal frogfish, Chanaux, n figure 1. DGS colors added here. The pinched skull between the orbits mark most of the gobies.
Elacatinus oceanops
(Jordan 1904; 5cm) is the extant neon goby from Bahamas coral, common in the aquariaum trade. It nests here with the mudskipper and other gobies.
Figure 2. Elacatinus in vivo in dorsal and lateral views.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/elacatinus_overall588.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/elacatinus_overall588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-53245″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/elacatinus_overall588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. Elacatinus in vivo in dorsal and lateral views.” width=”584″ height=”386″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/elacatinus_overall588.jpg?w=584&h=386 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/elacatinus_overall588.jpg?w=150&h=99 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/elacatinus_overall588.jpg?w=300&h=198 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/elacatinus_overall588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 3. Elacatinus in vivo in dorsal and lateral views.
Chaunax coloratus
(Lowe 1846 Chaunax sitkusi shown in photo) is the extant sea toad or coffinfish. Sometimes called an angler. Here it nests with the frogfish, Antennarius. A small lure is present.
Figure 2. The skull of the extant snakehead, Ophiocephalus, one of the LCAs for frogfish and gobies.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ophiocephalus.skull_.2023.588.jpg?w=246″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ophiocephalus.skull_.2023.588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-93592″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ophiocephalus.skull_.2023.588.jpg” alt=”Figure 2. The skull of the extant snakehead, Ophiocephalus, one of the LCAs for frogfish and gobies. ” width=”584″ height=”711″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ophiocephalus.skull_.2023.588.jpg?w=584&h=711 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ophiocephalus.skull_.2023.588.jpg?w=123&h=150 123w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ophiocephalus.skull_.2023.588.jpg?w=246&h=300 246w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ophiocephalus.skull_.2023.588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. The skull of the extant snakehead, Ophiocephalus, one of the LCAs for frogfish and gobies.
LCA
The last common ancestor of these two taxa is a fish close to the freshwater snakehead from Africa and SE Asia, Ophiocephlaus (Fig 4) – which is an extant representative that breathes air of an ancient radiation of bottom-swimmers/walkers that did not breathe air.
Editor’s Note
Housekeeping on the fish portion of the LCA has reached a resolution milestone: 64 MPTs in 13 seconds based on 498 taxa. This version is the 291st during recent housekeeping, which will continue after saving this matrix.
References
Jordan DS 1904. Ichthyology in the ‘Encyclopædia Americana.’ Science. 19: 767.
Lowe RT 1846. On a new genus of the family Lophidae (les pectorales pediculées, Cuv.) discovered in Madeira. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1846. (pt 14): 81–83.
wiki/Frogfish
wiki/Chaunax
wiki/Elacatinus
wiki/Snakehead_(fish)
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/07/09/a-basal-frogfish-and-a-basal-goby-compared/
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