Northern Stargazer
Astroscopus guttatus

The northern stargazer is a strange-looking fish with a speckled, flattened body and a large head. It lives at the bottom of the lower Chesapeake Bay in deep, open waters.

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White dots on the fish's face sitting on a sandy bottom
(Image by Peter Leahy/Shutterstock)

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Appearance

The northern stargazer has a blackish-brown body with white spots that gradually get bigger from its head to its tail. It's flattened body can grow to 22 inches in length, but it averages 8 to 18 inches in length. Its mouth and eyes are located on the top of its large head, facing upward. Three dark, horizontal lines appear on its tail.

Feeding

Northern stargazers eat small fish, crabs and other crustaceans. They hunt by burying themselves in the sand with their eyes and mouth sticking out just enough to search for prey. Once something tasty swims by, the stargazer uses its large mouth to create a vacuum to suck its prey in.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Spawning occurs in May to June. Females lay small, transparent eggs on the bottom of the Bay. Eggs eventually float to the surface and hatch. Larvae grow rapidly, feeding from a yolk sac until it is completely absorbed. Once they grow to about 12 to 15 millimeters long, larvae swim to the bottom of the Bay, where they mature into adults. At this time their electric organ also begins to form.

Did You Know?

  • Part of the stargazer's scientific name, Astrocopus, means "one who aims at the stars," and guttatus means "speckled."
  • The stargazer uses its side fins as shovels to quickly burrow below the sand in a matter of seconds.
  • Northern stargazers have an organ on their heads that can deliver an electric charge that stuns and confuses prey and helps ward off predators.

Sources and Additional Information

Tags:
Fish Estuarine Fish Open & Shallow Waters