Its body is suited for living on the sea floor, and is one of few fish capable of bioelectrogenesis, or the ability to generate an electric charge.

It is widespread along the Atlantic coast of Europe and Africa, is very common in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, and somewhat rare in the Bay of Biscay.

[3] It is a demersal fish, which lives in sandy or muddy sand sediments along the upper slope of the continental shelf, between depths of 14–400 meters.

[5] Typical of stargazers, its body is somewhat dorso-ventrally flattened, lacks a swimbladder,[6] and has been found as large as 35.0 centimeters in length, but is usually between 20 and 30 cm.

It has a large mouth, with a small strip of skin protruding from its lower jaw, which it moves in and out rapidly to act as a lure for prey.