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How do stargazers capture prey while buried in sand?

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Bluefin tuna swimming underwater in a group, with silvery bodies and streamlined shapes, near Japan. — perciform Bluefin tuna (*Thunnus thynnus orientalis*) in the waters near Japan.

Stargazers, which belong to the order Perciformes, are ambush predators that habitually bury themselves in the bottom substrate. While hidden in the sand with only their eyes and mouths exposed, they utilize a specialized adaptation to capture prey: an outgrowth of the mouth that acts as a lure to attract unsuspecting victims within striking distance.12