Linophryne andersoni is a member of the genus
Linophryne, a name which prefixes
linos, which means "net", an allusion Collett did not explain when he proposed the genus, with
phryne, meaning "toad". The prefix may be a reference to the sac like mouth hanging off the trunk, which in the
holotype contained a
lanternfish, like a fisherman's keep net. The second part
phryne is commonly used in the names of anglerfish genera. Its use may date as far back as
Aristotle and
Cicero, who referred to anglerfishes as "fishing-frogs" and "sea-frogs," respectively, possibly because of their resemblance to frogs and toads. The
specific name,
andersoni, honours
M. Eric Anderson, an ichthyologist at the
J. L. B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology. ==Description==