The striated frogfish was first formally described in 1794 as Lophius striatus by the English biologist George Shaw with its type locality given as Tahiti in the Society Islands.

[3] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Antennarius in the family Antennariidae within the suborder Antennarioidei within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes.

[4] The striated frogfish has the genus name Antennarius (which adds ius after antenna), an allusion to its first dorsal spine being adapted into a tentacle on the snout used as a lure to attract prey.

The dominant coloration varies from yellow to brownish-orange, passing through a range of shades, but it can also be green, gray, brown, almost white, or even completely black without any pattern.

Body and fins can be marked with roughly parallel dark stripes or elongated blotches, some with rays radiating outward from the eye.

The lure is a way to easily distinguish A. striatus from Antennarius hispidus, which otherwise has similar physical characteristics (stripes, coloration, cutaneous appendages) and with which it is often confused.

[12][6] As general daily temperatures continue to rise, this poses a big problem for the oceans and their inhabitants that rely on the ecosystems within to survive.

This modification of increased oral cavity and reduced gill openings combined with pulsed water jet like propulsion expelled from breathing allow the fish to propel itself along the floor.

These fish also have a defense mechanism for when they are found by predators which includes swelling their body with water and remaining inflated to make swallowing difficult.

Frogfish have one of the fastest eating methods known in the animal kingdom, the fish lacks any teeth and uses suction to inhale its food whole and live.

The trick remains in gaining the preys attention by moving their illicium usually in an arch like or wiggly fashion to mimic that of a small distressed animal.