Stargazer (fish)

See text The stargazers are a family, Uranoscopidae, of labriform ray-finned fish that have eyes on top of their heads (hence the name).The family includes about 51 species (one extinct) in eight genera, all marine and found worldwide in shallow and deep saltwaters.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 floors of their mouths, which they can wiggle to attract prey's attention.[2] Stargazers are a delicacy in some cultures (the venom is not poisonous when eaten), and they can be found for sale in some fish markets with the electric organ removed.
Stargazer's paired electric organs are aligned vertically inside the head, behind the eyes. [ 3 ] Uniquely, they are used only for hunting or defence, as the fish does not electrolocate . [ 2 ]
Scientific classificationEukaryotaAnimaliaChordataActinopterygiiLabriformesJordanEvermannfamilylabriformray-finned fishgeneramarinebenthic fishinvertebratesdorsalanal finsgiant stargazervenomousoperclespectoral finsAstroscopusUranoscopuselectric shockselectric organbioelectrogenesiselectric fishelectric organselectrolocatefish marketsambush predatorsWilliam Leo SmithGenyagnusIchthyscopusSwainsonKathetostomaGüntherPleuroscopusBarnardSelenoscopusLinnaeusXenocephalusDeepwater stargazerNorthern stargazerWhitemargin stargazerSouthern stargazerProceedings of the United States National MuseumThe New York TimesFroese, RainerFishBaseElectroreception and electrogenesisJamming avoidance responseAmpullae of LorenziniKnollenorganGymnarchidaeGymnotiformesElectrophorusMormyridaeRajiformesMalapteruridaeTorpediniformesHistory of bioelectricityLateral lineMagnetoreceptionWikidataWikispeciesiNaturalistOpen Tree of LifePaleobiology Database