Estuary stargazer
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| Estuary stargazer | ||||||||||||||
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.gif/180px-Leptoscopus_macropygus_(Estuary_stargazer).gif) |
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| Leptoscopus macropygus (Richardson, 1846) |
The estuary stargazer, Leptoscopus macropygus, is a southern sandfish of the family Leptoscopidae, the only member of the genus Leptoscopus. It is found around New 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 and anal fins. The lateral 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 crabs, molluscs, and worms, as well as small fishes.
[edit] References
- "Leptoscopus macropygus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. May 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
