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This week we have another bizarre benthic marine fish- the Northern Stargazer (Astroscopus guttatus).
The northern stargazer can be found along the North American Atlantic coast at depths of up to 120 feet (36 m). Adult stargazers are mostly brown and speckled with black and white striped fins. They can reach 22 inches (56 cm) in length and their faces are positioned on top of the head, hence the name "stargazer". They are ambush predators that rest on muddy and sandy areas to wait for prey, often burying themselves until only their eyes stick out of the sand. They have adaptations to help them sit in the substrate for long periods such as comb-like fringes that keep sand out of the mouth, gills, and nostrils, the ability to breathe through their nostrils only, and being able to protrude their eyes to look around. Behind the stargazer's eyes are two organs that produce a weak electric current which it uses in defense. They also have sharp dorsal spines that can deliver a nasty venomous sting!
Sources and further reading:
• https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3927
• https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/astroscopus-guttatus/
• https://www.fishbase.ca/summary/3703