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. 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. Stargazers has  35.0 centimeters in length. Its head and jaws are rotated upward, and has very large eyes and mouth.