June 6, 2024
SINGAPORE – It has been likened to a french bulldog, American actor Steve Buscemi, a grumpy old man and the character Gollum from the Lord Of The Rings.
A video of a long-nosed stargazer fish has gone viral on Instagram, garnering about 54.2 million views and nearly 1.3 million likes since it was posted on May 18.
Posted by The Untamed Paths, a group that conducts local wildlife tours, the video shows the fish with bulging eyes and pinpoint pupils staring up at the camera. Only its face protrudes from the sand in shallow water, and it then disappears from view by burrowing into the sandy surface.
“New phobia unlocked,” said one Instagram user in the post, while another said: “Me, when my alarm goes off in the morning.”
“Bro looks like he could use a shot of Jack Daniel’s,” said user danoshipton, referring to the American whiskey, while user nathienialraju said: “Bro needs an exorcist.”
Some also called the fish ugly.
The fish has also come to the attention of news outlets such as the New York Post, the Daily Mail and India Times, which highlighted social media reactions to its looks.
When contacted, fish expert Tan Heok Hui said: “It is not an ugly fish. In fact, it is the epitome of an ambush predator.”
Dr Tan, an ichthyologist at NUS’ Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, said stargazers usually bury themselves in a layer of rock or soil below the ground, leaving only its head and eyes slightly exposed. Ichthyology is a branch of zoology that deals with fishes.
Some species of stargazers dangle their tongues, which resemble frilly worms, as bait for unsuspecting prey fish, before lunging out to swallow them whole.
These fish may have toxins, and also sport spines on their heads and gill covers, which can cause puncture wounds if mishandled, cautioned Dr Tan. Those injured by it should seek immediate medical assistance.
The Untamed Paths founder Dennis Chan said he spotted the fish on the morning of April 26 “along the northern shores of Singapore”, and it was his first encounter with this creature.
“It had just the head protruding out of the sand. Stargazers do so naturally while waiting for unsuspecting prey to pass by,” he said, adding that it was more memorable that he found the fish in an intertidal zone instead of the seabed when diving.
According to the National Parks Board, the intertidal zone is the coastal area between the highest and lowest tide marks. It is submerged at high tide but dry and exposed to the air at low tide, and is filled with marine biodiversity, such as sea anemones, sea cucumbers, sea stars, crabs, snails and seagrass.
Those who encounter long-nosed stargazers should keep their distance, appreciate them from afar and not provoke them, said Mr Chan.
As to the negative comments on the fish’s looks, he said: “That was not what the video was intended for.
“I think that such marine creatures evoke a sense of wonder, awe and appreciation for the natural world. There is so much to observe, discover and learn about these fascinating creatures in the world that we live in, even and especially so in Singapore, where we are in a region of great marine biodiversity.”