Giant Stargazer

This species is distinguished by the following characters: D 17-19; A 17-18; vertebrae 33-34; body rather elongate, tapering from a moderately broad, flat, bony head (width 1.1-1.4 times its length) covered with tiny blunt spines in juveniles to low radiating ridges in adults; small eyes directed upwards; bony orbital rim separated medially by naked rectangular space; mouth large, vertical, with several prominent canines between smaller canines; chin smooth; lips with short ridge-like crenulations; ventral margin of preopercle with four spine-like processes; anterior end of isthmus with a pair of prominent forward directed spines; prominent cleithral spine sheathed with skin above pectoral fin base; gill rakers on first arch 14-17, in the form of patches of fine teeth, patches narrow, teeth in three or four rows, innermost row rather long; no scales; lateral line pores in skin high on side close to base of dorsal fin; dorsal fin low, elongate, its base 67-82% of predorsal length; pectoral fins huge, fan-like; pelvic fins moderately large, length 20-25% SL (Ref. 86516).

Dorsal soft rays (total): 17 - 19; Analsoft rays: 17 - 18; Vertebrae: 33 - 34

Reported from depths between 30 m (Ref. 58489) and 600 m (Ref. 9258). Buries in sea bed until suitable prey passes by. Utilized fresh and frozen; can be steamed, broiled and baked (Ref. 9988).

fisheries: commercial

The giant stargazer (Kathetostoma giganteum) is a stargazer of the family Uranoscopidae, found on the continental shelf around New Zealand and endemic to that area.

It is commonly called monkfish, but this should not be confused with the Northern Hemisphere monkfish which is an entirely different genus of fish, Lophius, in another order, Lophiiformes.