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Whitemargin stargazer
Air Prang, Lembeh.
Info extracted from:https://www.twofishdivers.com/2017/10/stargazer-mesmerizes-in-lembeh/
"The Stargazer likes to bury itself in the sand, leaving only his mouth and eyes out to spot and capture his prey which are Fish, Octopus and Squid. Aside from being able to camouflage themselves cleverly in the sand, they also have electric organs just behind their eyes which they use as a defense mechanism. These organs can discharge up to 50 volts, depending on the water temperature, so they are not to be fooled with!"
Whitemargin stargazer is a fish of family Uranoscopidae, widespread in the Indopacific: Red Sea, Indonesia, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. Marine reef-associated fish, up to 45.0 cm maximal length.
Similar species: Wrasses And Allies
By Patomarazul
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Uploaded Mar 25, 2019. Captured May 30, 2018 05:18 in Tandurusa, Aertembaga, Bitung City, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
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The Whitemargin Stargazer (Uranoscopus sulphureus) is an ambush predator that appears to gaze up at the stars because its eyes are positioned on top of its head. They are widespread in the Indo-Pacific and can grow up to 45 cm (18 in) long. They dig into the sand with their shovel-like fins, where they stay buried with only their eyes and mouths sticking out. To prevent them from swallowing mouthfuls of sand, their mouths have interlocking bristles that act like zippers to keep excess sand out.
Stargazers wiggle their eyeballs in order to attract curious fish who are in search of small prey. When the unsuspecting fish gets close enough, the stargazer creates a vacuum with its mouth so it can quickly suck the prey in. Stargazers are also venomous and electric! They have stingers on their backs to deter predation. The venom is highly unstable, and scientists have yet to determine exactly what it is composed of. They also have an electric organ located behind their eyes that functions like a capacitor. When triggered, this organ can produce a 50 volt shock that flows through the body of the fish, and thus passes the shock to whatever has grabbed it. With clever camouflage and shocking defensive tactics, these fish are not to be trifled with. {Spotted in Indonesia by JungleDragon moderator, Patomarazul} #JungleDragon Posted 6 years ago
We’re continuing our series highlighting some of the most fantastic body parts belonging to wildlife. Today, we are focusing on eyes! There are so many creatures with remarkable eyes that it was quite a struggle to choose which ones to feature today! #JungleDragon
The Whitemargin Stargazer (Uranoscopus sulphureus) buries its body in the sand and appears to be ‘stargazing’. It wiggles its eyeballs to attract curious fish that are in search of prey. When an unsuspecting fish gets close enough, the stargazer sucks the prey into its mouth. They also have an electric organ behind their eyes that functions like a capacitor. When triggered, this organ produces a 50-volt shock! Ouch! {Spotted in Indonesia by Patomarazul} #WhitemarginStargazer #Uranoscopussulphureus
https://www.facebook.com/jungledragonwildlife Posted 4 years ago