stargazer

Stargazer
Uranoscopus sulphureus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Uranoscopidae
Genera
Astroscopus Genyagnus Gnathagnus Ichthyscopus Kathetostoma Pleuroscopus Selenoscopus Uranoscopus Xenocephalus See text for species.

Eastern Stargazer, Kathetostoma laeve.

The stargazers are a family Uranoscopidae of perciform fish that have eyes on top of their heads (thus the name). The family includes about 50 species in 8 genera, all marine and found worldwide in shallow waters.

In addition to the top-mounted eyes, stargazers also have a large upward-facing mouth in a large head. Their usual habit is to bury themselves in sand, and leap upwards to ambush prey (benthic fish and invertebrates) that pass overhead. Some species have a worm-shaped lure growing out of the floor of the mouth, which they can wiggle to attract prey's attention. Both the dorsal and anal fins are relatively long; some lack dorsal spines. Lengths range from 18 cm up to 90 cm, for the giant stargazer Kathetostoma giganteum.

Stargazers are venomous; they have two large poison spines situated behind the opercle and above the pectoral fins. They can also cause electric shocks.

Genera and species

• Genus Astroscopus
  • Northern Stargazer, Astroscopus guttatus Abbott, 1860
  • Astroscopus sexspinosus (Steindachner, 1876)
  • Southern Stargazer, Astroscopus y-graecum (Cuvier, 1829)
  • Astroscopus zephyreus Gilbert & Starks in Gilbert, 1897
• Genus Genyagnus
  • Spotted stargazer, Genyagnus monopterygius (Schneider, 1801)
• Genus Gnathagnus
  • Armoured blenny, Gnathagnus armatus (Kaup, 1858)
  • Gnathagnus cribratus Kishimoto, 1989
  • Freckled stargazer, Gnathagnus egregius (Jordan & Thompson, 1905)
  • Bulldog stargazer, Gnathagnus innotabilis Waite, 1904
• Genus Ichthyscopus
• Genus Kathetostoma
  • Lancer stargazer, Kathetostoma albigutta (Bean, 1892)
  • Smooth stargazer, Kathetostoma averruncus Jordan & Bollman, 1890
  • Kathetostoma canaster Gomon & Last, 1987
  • Spiny stargazer, Kathetostoma cubana Barbour, 1941
  • Kathetostoma fluviatilis Hutton, 1872
  • Giant stargazer, Kathetostoma giganteum Haast, 1873
  • Common stargazer, Kathetostoma laeve (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
  • Deepwater stargazer, Kathetostoma nigrofasciatum Waite & McCulloch, 1915
• Genus Pleuroscopus
• Genus Selenoscopus
• Genus Uranoscopus
• Genus Xenocephalus

References

• "Uranoscopidae". FishBase. Ed. Rainer Froese and Daniel Pauly. May 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.

External links

• YouTube video of a Southern Stargazer near Utila, Honduras.

This Perciformes article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e