Milky Sand Stargazer
Dactyloscopus lacteus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
The Milky Sand Stargazer faces significant pressure from coastal development and tourism infrastructure along Caribbean shorelines, which destroys the shallow sandy habitats essential for its burrowing lifestyle. Bottom trawling and seine net fishing in nearshore waters directly impact populations through bycatch mortality and habitat disturbance. Climate change-induced sea level rise and increased storm intensity threaten to alter the sediment composition and stability of sandy bottoms where this species feeds and reproduces.
Habitat
The Milky Sand Stargazer inhabits shallow sandy bottoms and seagrass beds in tropical and subtropical coastal waters of the western Atlantic. This cryptic fish burrows in fine to medium sand substrates at depths typically ranging from 1 to 30 meters, where it ambush-feeds on small fish and invertebrates.
Other threatened species in Dactyloscopidae
Threatened in Costa Rica
Frequently asked questions
Why is Milky Sand Stargazer classified as Vulnerable?
Where does Milky Sand Stargazer live?
What are the main threats to Milky Sand Stargazer?
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