This creepy, flat-headed deep-sea dweller
is the stargazer fish.
And it is one of the most deadly and dangerous
hunters on the ocean floor.
With their bulging eyes and terrifying teeth,
these creatures leave an unforgettable
first impression.
But don't underestimate them,
because that's exactly when they will strike.
And if you're an unlucky fish or crab,
you could be in for a shocking surprise.
If you take a deep dive into any of the world's oceans,
you just might come across a stargazer fish.
With over 50 species spanning the globe,
these bug-eyed creatures are known as ambush predators.
That's because they don't go out hunting
the way a shark would.
Instead, they use their incredible camouflage skills
to hide underneath the sand and wait
for unlucky fish, crabs
and other crustaceans to wander by.
Stargazers have strong pectoral fins
that they use to bury themselves deep in the sand,
leaving only their eyes and mouth exposed.
And they know that if you want to achieve
maximum sneakiness,
the best time to operate is under the cover of night.
Under cover of night.
These nocturnal fish spend the daylight hours
in their sandy hiding spots.
Once night falls, they begin the hunt.
Key to this is a long, retractable appendage
that unfurls from their mouths,
which they use to lure hungry prey to their doom.
And that's when they go in for the kill.
With a burst of lightning speed,
the stargazer will lunge forward and snap
the unsuspecting meal with its enormous jaws,
swallowing it whole.
But that's not all.
Some stargazer species are electric.
It's electric!
They can stun their dinner
with more than 50 volts of electricity
that emanates from a muscle behind their eyes.
It's also a useful tool
for warding off any unwelcome predators.
Back off.
And if that weren't enough,
they also have two venomous spines in their fins
that they can use to further incapacitate their prey.
You might be wondering how such a fearsome fish
got such a normal name,
What’s in a name?
instead of something like, oh I don't know,
evil electric bug-eyed pancake fish of death.
Or something like that.
Well, it's all in the eyes.
Stargazer comes from their eyeballs
that always seem to be looking up at the night sky.
Or at least they would be
if they didn't live on the bottom of the ocean.
So what would happen if you encountered one in person?
Luckily, nothing too serious.
While it might not be fatal, it definitely won't be fun.
The stargazer sting is painful
and feels like a very sharp bite that causes swelling.
All this to go along with the possibility of it shocking you.
So they are best left to their own devices,
buried under the sand
terrorizing the local crab population.
These robust fish have such great defense mechanisms
that they have almost no natural predators.
The only other sea creature they have to worry about
are bottlenose dolphins,
who are unaffected by their sting and venom.
They also have to worry about humans
wanting to feast on them,
and in some cultures they are considered quite the delicacy.
They have to be cooked in order to destroy their venom,
but anything that might be left over can be swiftly handled
by our digestive tract.
Sadly, they are often swept up unintentionally
by fishing nets
and brought to fish markets as an accidental addition.
If you're itching for info
about some of nature's most fearsome predators,
check out our video
about the five most painful insect stings.
It won't disappoint.
Lurking beneath the sand
and stunning their prey with electricity.
That's what stargazers do.
And that's why they're Crazy Creatures.