For days a lurkfish lies in the water, not feeding, not moving. Being cold-blooded, it only needs to eat occasionally. It is an ambush predator, lying in wait. The mouth of a lurkfish splits the whole of its broad snout and from its thick lips hang short barbels that are sensitive to any movement in the water. More barbels sprout from its face. Tall and branched, they mimic the thick tangle of water weeds covering the swamp. But the barbels are not just a means of camouflage. Like the electric catfish, the lurkfish is able to generate a powerful electric field. The barbels form an electrical sensory net, capable of detecting even the smallest movement of potential prey in the water nearby. Like a crocodile, the lurkfish has a mail of thick, protective plates covering its body beneath its skin. This armor shields the lurkfish's internal organs, but its external fins, barbels and sensors are vulnerable in a fight. The lurkfish has another weapon at its disposal. Its electrical system is not just a sensory device but is also used in hunting. A lurkfish can overcome large and combative prey by administering a powerful electric shock to its victim. Instinct: To hunt

• Paralyze victims with an electric shock
• Appear like a log (camouflage)
• Swallow whole small prey