Every Day Is Halloween For This Very Strange Fish
This story was originally published by bioGraphic and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. An orange glow appears in the darkness. It’s dim at first, then grows brighter as a group of children dressed as mermaids, bumblebees, and superheroes moves closer. Eventually, the children can make out a face, then a head, illuminated from within, perched […]
In the depths of the ocean, one peculiar fish emerges from the darkness like a child dressed in a Halloween costume. This is the whitemargin stargazer (Uranoscopus sulphureus), a creature that shares a striking resemblance to the iconic Halloween symbol—a carved pumpkin. However, instead of guiding a path through the darkness, this fish takes a different approach to survival.
Unlike most fish, the stargazer has a unique way of disappearing into the sandy ocean bottom, waiting for its next life-or-death moment. With its large pectoral fins, it can burrow into the ocean floor in mere seconds, and the venomous spines above those fins deter predator attacks from above. The fringes, or cirri, around its mouth prevent sand from entering while it burrows, and its eyes, nostrils, and mouth positioned near the top of its head allow it to see, breathe, and snatch prey while remaining mostly unseen.
These adaptations, including its venomous spines, fringed mouth, and upward-facing sensory organs, make the stargazer a creature that blends in with the night sky, earning it the eerie nickname "nightmare." Its ghoulish appearance and watchful nature have sent shivers down the spines of those who have encountered it in tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, where it resides at various depths.
For other creatures, such as the cardinalfish or porcelain crab, the stargazer poses a significant threat. In an instant, the unsuspecting prey ceases to exist, making the stargazer a formidable hunter in its underwater domain.
Written by urgent.news from Mother Jones's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
