- Estuary stargazer
Taxobox
name = Estuary stargazer
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Actinopterygii
ordo =Perciformes
familia =Leptoscopidae
genus = "Leptoscopus"
genus_authority = Gill, 1859
species = "L. macropygus"
binomial = "Leptoscopus macropygus"
binomial_authority = (Richardson, 1846)The estuary stargazer, "Leptoscopus macropygus", is a
southern sandfish of the familyLeptoscopidae , the only member of the genus "Leptoscopus". It is found aroundNew Zealand , at depths of between a few metres and 60 m. Its length is about 20 cm.The estuary stargazer has a long tapering body and a large scaleless head, large
pectoral fins , and long low dorsal andanal fin s. Thelateral line is very conspicuous, being composed of large leaf-shaped scales each with a distinct central ridge.Coloration is grey or grey-green above with scattered black dots, and there are two longitudinal scalloped black stripes, one running along the lateral line and the second above it, and it has a white belly.
These fish bury themselves in the bottom sediments to conceal themselves from their prey, which is
crab s,mollusc s, andworm s, as well as small fishes.References
*
* Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, "Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand", (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand1982 ) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.