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Blue stargazer (Pleuroscopus pseudodorsalis) — Uranoscopidae

Blue stargazer

Pleuroscopus pseudodorsalis
Family: Uranoscopidae

The Blue stargazer (Pleuroscopus pseudodorsalis) is a saltwater fish of the family Uranoscopidae that grows up to 33 cm.

Length
33 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
40.0–800.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The false stargazer is a stargazer (Uranoscopidae) from the deep, cool waters of the southern hemisphere. The species has a stocky body with a large, upward-directed mouth and eyes on top of the flattened head, characteristic of stargazers that bury themselves and peer upward. It lives bottom-dwelling and is usually caught with trawls at 200 to 800 m depth. As an ambush hunter it springs on passing fishes and crustaceans. Like other stargazers it bears venomous shoulder spines; a sting is painful.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blue stargazer?

The Blue stargazer has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Blue stargazer live?

The Blue stargazer lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Blue stargazer get?

The Blue stargazer grows to a maximum of about 33 cm.

Is the Blue stargazer dangerous to humans?

No, the Blue stargazer is harmless to humans.

Is the Blue stargazer edible?

The Blue stargazer is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Diepwater-sterrenkijker sourced
English name
Blue stargazer verified
Scientific name
Pleuroscopus pseudodorsalis
Family
Uranoscopidae
Other names
Purple stargazer; Scaled stargazer; Scaly stargazer; Spotted stargazer verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
33.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) 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

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
40.0 verified
Max depth (m)
800.0 verified
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
Rarely 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

More from the family Uranoscopidae

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