The Oyster ToadfishOpsanus tau

Males grow up to 15 inches long, females only about 8 inches.

Very loose skin – looks like it is rotting.

Spiny fins and bony bumps on head.

Very large rounded fins.

Live for about 15 years.

Lives off shore in sandy, rocky and reef areas

Highly tolerant of pollution

Able to live out of water for extended periods of time.

Voracious omnivore Feeds on oysters,

clams, worms, shrimp, amphipods, crabs, hermit crabs, mollusks, squid, and small fish.

Snaps at you when caught.

Large head full of crushing teeth to pulverize shells and notes.

Males find a nest and then make noise to call a female from deeper water. The muscles used to make the noise vibrate at over

200 times a second. Fastest vertebrate muscle. Females select the larger males based on the

pitch of the call. Low pitch = large male Females enter the nest and lay eggs, then

leave. Males fertilize the eggs then guard the nest until the young leave.

Smaller males will act like females and then sneak fertilize the eggs. They DO NOT stay to guard the eggs.

The Uncommon Guide to Common Life on Narragansett Bay. Save The Bay, 1998. Retrieved from http://www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/fish/toad.htm

University of Michigan School of Zoology. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/Grzimek_fish/Batrachoidiformes/0psanus_tau.jpg/medium.jpg&imgrefurl=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/Grzimek_fish/Batrachoidiformes/0psanus_tau.jpg/view.html&usg=__e0qB2JMqZRpd6pjfhq0UsnyJYOM=&h=240&w=535&sz=33&hl=en&start=10&sig2=U7lkr6DwdWrrRGVp_MlCXA&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=iaBigSu5F-LWeM:&tbnh=59&tbnw=132&prev=/images%3Fq%3Doyster%2Btoadfish%2Bopsanus%2Btau%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=vfO9S-nJGKiitgPX4M26Aw