Spotted Stargazer - Pūwhara

The elusive spotted stargazer is a master of camouflage, hiding in sandy seabeds up to 100m deep around New Zealand. A "sit and wait" predator, it ambushes passing fish with its large mouth. Reaching up to 45cm, stargazers breed in spring and summer, with females laying transparent eggs that hatch into larvae before maturing in deeper waters. Venomous spines behind the opercles and above the pectoral fins provide protection for this stealthy predator.