Overview
Comprehensive Description
Biology
Burrows in sand and mud (Ref. 2683). While buried, it waits for its prey, attracting them by means of its appendage. Feeds mainly on fish (Ref. 5377).
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Roux, C. 1990 Uranoscopidae. p. 897-898. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 7366)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=7366&speccode=5039
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Distribution
Range Description
The Whitespotted Stargazer (Uranoscopus polli) is known from the coast of the Congo and Angola, north to Sierra Leone.
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Eastern Atlantic: mainly Congo and Angola, but probably further north.
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Roux, C. 1990 Uranoscopidae. p. 897-898. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 7366)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=7366&speccode=5039
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Physical Description
Size
Max. size
35.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 2683))
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Schneider, W. 1990 FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Field guide to the commercial marine resources of the Gulf of Guinea. Prepared and published with the support of the FAO Regional Office for Africa. FAO, Rome. 268 p. (Ref. 2683)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=2683&speccode=1800
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Ecology
Habitat
Habitat and Ecology
Habitat and Ecology
Systems
The Whitespotted Stargazer burrows in sand and mud. While concealed, it attracts its prey by means of a worm shaped lure in its mouth. This demersal species is found in the deeper shelf area (Bianchi 1992) at depths of approximately 20–200 m. Analyses from Bianchi (1992) put this species in a continental shelf habitat grouping, just below the thermocline on sandy bottoms.
Systems
- Marine
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Depth range based on 5 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 3 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 19 - 50
Temperature range (°C): 19.207 - 24.728
Nitrate (umol/L): 5.569 - 14.682
Salinity (PPS): 35.391 - 35.602
Oxygen (ml/l): 2.612 - 3.711
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.505 - 1.086
Silicate (umol/l): 2.739 - 5.416
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 19 - 50
Temperature range (°C): 19.207 - 24.728
Nitrate (umol/L): 5.569 - 14.682
Salinity (PPS): 35.391 - 35.602
Oxygen (ml/l): 2.612 - 3.711
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.505 - 1.086
Silicate (umol/l): 2.739 - 5.416
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 3 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 19 - 50
Temperature range (°C): 19.207 - 24.728
Nitrate (umol/L): 5.569 - 14.682
Salinity (PPS): 35.391 - 35.602
Oxygen (ml/l): 2.612 - 3.711
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.505 - 1.086
Silicate (umol/l): 2.739 - 5.416
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 19 - 50
Temperature range (°C): 19.207 - 24.728
Nitrate (umol/L): 5.569 - 14.682
Salinity (PPS): 35.391 - 35.602
Oxygen (ml/l): 2.612 - 3.711
Phosphate (umol/l): 0.505 - 1.086
Silicate (umol/l): 2.739 - 5.416
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Depth: 25 - 200m.
From 25 to 200 meters.
Habitat: demersal. Burrows in sand and mud (Ref. 2683).
From 25 to 200 meters.
Habitat: demersal. Burrows in sand and mud (Ref. 2683).
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Environment
demersal; marine; depth range 20 - 200 m (Ref. 7366), usually 20 - 50 m (Ref. 7366)
-
Roux, C. 1990 Uranoscopidae. p. 897-898. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 7366)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=7366&speccode=5039
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FishBase
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Trophic Strategy
Burrows in sand and mud (Ref. 2683). While buried in the sand, it waits for its prey, attracting them by means of its appendage. Feeds mainly on fish.
-
Roux, C. 1990 Uranoscopidae. p. 897-898. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 7366)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=7366&speccode=5039
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Conservation
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
LC
Least Concern
Red List Criteria
Version
3.1
Year Assessed
2010
Assessor/s
Chao, N.L., Edwards, A., McEachran, J. & Williams, J.
Reviewer/s
Collen, B., Richman, N., Beresford, A., Chenery, A. & Ram, M.
Contributor/s
De Silva, R., Milligan, H., Lutz, M., Batchelor, A., Jopling, B., Kemp, K., Lewis, S., Lintott, P., Sears, J., Wilson, P., Smith, J. & Livingston, F.
Justification
The whitespotted Stargazer (Uranoscopus polli) has been assessed as Least Concern. It is has a widespread geographic and depth distribution and there are no known major threats to the species.
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Trends
Population
Population
Population Trend
Trawl data from Bianchi (1992) showed that the Whitespotted Stargazer was not very prevalent in catches, comprising less than 1% of total catch from 18 stations of Gabon and Congo.
Population Trend
Stable
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Threats
Threats
Major Threats
There are no known major threats to the Whitespotted Stargazer. However, it is harvested by artisanal fishers within the Gulf of Guinea (Afonso et al. 1999). This species is also fished commercially (FAO 1999a), but there are no species-specific catch statistics available.
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IUCN
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Least Concern (LC)
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IUCN 2006 2006 IUCN red list of threatened species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded July 2006.
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=57073
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Management
Conservation Actions
Conservation Actions
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for the Whitespotted Stargazer. However, its distribution may coincide with a number of marine protected areas.
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Importance
fisheries: commercial
-
Schneider, W. 1990 FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Field guide to the commercial marine resources of the Gulf of Guinea. Prepared and published with the support of the FAO Regional Office for Africa. FAO, Rome. 268 p. (Ref. 2683)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=2683&speccode=1800
© WorldFish Center - FishBase
Source:
FishBase
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