smooth stargazer
Kathetostoma averruncus
Bottom fish of the eastern Pacific reaching 32 cm. It has a spine above the pectoral fin, probably with a mild venom.
Also called: miracéu-liso, miracielo buldog, buldog, smooth stargazer
- maximum
- 32 cm
- depth
- 13–384 m
who is the smooth stargazer
The family Uranoscopidae includes the stargazers, bottom fish with a broad head and eyes on top. This species reaches 32 cm and occurs in the eastern Pacific, from California to Peru, including the Galapagos and Central America; it is rare north of central Baja California. It lives on the bottom, between 13 and 384 m. It feeds mainly on other fish, and juveniles are pelagic and serve as food for tunas. It has no interest for sport fishing, but enters commercial fishing and the aquarium trade.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the smooth stargazer.
fun facts
- Juveniles are pelagic and serve as food for large tunas.
identification
Broad head, with eyes on top facing upward, and a large mouth also turned up, traits typical of the family. The skin is smooth, as the common name says. It has a spine above the pectoral fin, probably with mild venom, which calls for care when handling. It lives on the bottom, from 13 to 384 m.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Occurs in the eastern Pacific, from California to Peru, including the Galapagos, on sea bottoms from 13 to 384 m. It is rare north of central Baja California. There are no records on the Brazilian coast.
Habitat: Sea bottom, from 13 to 384 m.
rules for the smooth stargazer
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It has a spine above the pectoral fin, probably with mild venom. Handle it with care, hold it away from the spine and return it quickly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01698, b = 3.08; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Kathetostoma averruncus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Kathetostoma averruncusNames by country and language.