Ecology of Uranoscopus scaber
 
Main Ref. Boundka, B. and M.H. Ktari, 1996
Remarks Its shoulder spines can inflict, painful stings. Usually found buried in the sand or mud. Equipped with an acoustic apparatus that generates both acoustic and electric pulses. Electric discharge activity shows two temporal patterns: 1) reflexive discharges of short duration (milliseconds), elicited by mechanical stimulation, and 2) those of much longer duration (several seconds) observed only during the summer spawning period (Ref. 10011). Low-frequency spontaneous discharge activity (5-10 Hz), with a sexual dimorphism in discharge amplitude is also said to exist. This species suggestively represents a transitional form in the evolution of electric organs in fishes (Ref. 10577). In the Tunisian coast, it feeds on benthic animals, particularly on fishes, crustaceans and molluscs. The variation of the diet, in relation to the height, is essentially linked to the height of the preys (Ref. 41245).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

Marine - Neritic Marine - Oceanic Brackishwater Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies
  • supra-littoral zone
  • littoral zone
  • sublittoral zone
  • epipelagic
  • mesopelagic
  • epipelagic
  • abyssopelagic
  • hadopelagic
  • estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas
  • mangroves
  • marshes/swamps
  • rivers/streams
  • lakes/ponds
  • caves
  • exclusively in caves
Highighted items on the list are where Uranoscopus scaber may be found.

Habitat

Substrate
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.
Associations
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

Feeding

Feeding type mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.
Feeding habit hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.
Trophic Level(s)
Estimation method Original sample Unfished population Remark
Troph s.e. Troph s.e.
From diet composition
From individual food items 4.38 0.70 Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.
(e.g. 346)
(e.g. oophagy)
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