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Stargazer (Xenocephalus innotabilis) — Uranoscopidae

Stargazer

Xenocephalus innotabilis
Family: Uranoscopidae

The Stargazer (Xenocephalus innotabilis) is a fish of the family Uranoscopidae that grows up to 25 cm.

Length
25 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The stargazer is a stargazer (Uranoscopidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species has a stocky body with a large, upward-directed mouth and eyes on top of the head, a build typical of stargazers that bury themselves and peer upward. It lives on sand and silt bottoms of coastal waters, where it lies largely buried on the lookout and, as an ambush hunter, springs on passing small fishes and crustaceans. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Stargazer?

The Stargazer is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Stargazer live?

The Stargazer is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Stargazer get?

The Stargazer grows to a maximum of about 25 cm.

Is the Stargazer dangerous to humans?

No, the Stargazer is harmless to humans.

Is the Stargazer edible?

The Stargazer is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gladkop-sterrenkijker sourced
English name
Stargazer sourced
Scientific name
Xenocephalus innotabilis
Family
Uranoscopidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
25.0 sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Xenocephalus

More from the family Uranoscopidae

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