Lactophrys

Last updated

Lactophrys
Lactophrys bicaudalis.jpg
Spotted trunkfish - Lactophrys bicaudalis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Suborder: Ostracioidea
Family: Ostraciidae
Genus: Lactophrys
Swainson, 1839
Type species
Ostracion trigonus
Linnaeus, 1758 [1]
Synonyms [1]

Lactophrys is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. The boxfishes in this genus are found in the western Atlantic Ocean and are known as trunkfishes.

Contents

Taxonomy

Lactophrys was first proposed in 1839 as a subgenus of Tetrosomus by the British zoologist William John Swainson. In 1865 Pieter Bleeker designated Ostracion trigonus as the type species of this taxon. [1] O. trigonus has been first formally described by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae published in 1758, the type locality was mistakenly given as India when it is actually the Western Atlantic. [2] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies this genus within the family Ostraciidae in the suborder Ostracioidea within the order Tetraodontiformes. [3]

Etymology

Lactophrys is a compound of lactaria, meaning a "milkcow", and ophrys, meaning "eyebrow", a reference to the spines above the eyes resembling the horns of a cow. Some fishes in this family are known as cowfishes. [4]

Species

Lactophrys contains 3 recognized species: [5] [2] [6]

ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Lactophrys bicaudalis1.jpg Lactophrys bicaudalis (Linnaeus, 1758)Spotted trunkfishEastern Caribbean
Lactophrys trigonus 01 by Line1.JPG Lactophrys trigonus (Linnaeus, 1758)Buffalo trunkfishWestern Atlantic
Lactophrys triqueter.jpg Lactophrys triqueter (Linnaeus, 1758)Smooth trunkfishthe Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and subtropical parts of the western Atlantic Ocean.

Description

Lactophrys trunkfishes have thick oblong bodies, most of which is encased in a carapace made up of thickened and enlarged hexagonal plate-like scales that are joined to each other. There are gaps in this carapace for the mouth, eyes, gill slits, fins and tail, although the bases of the dorsal and anal fins are completely encircled by the carapace. To the rear of the dorsal fin the carapce may be closed but if it is open then there is in isolated oval plate-like svcale to the rear of the opening. This genus does not have spines at the eyes and sometimes has a spine at each corner of the lower rear carapace and there are no spine-like scales on the caudal peduncle. They have small mouths located at the front of the snout, with fleshy lips and a row of no more than 15 moderately sized conivcal teeth in each jaw. The gill slits are short and oblique and are to the front of the bases of the pectoral fins. The dorsa and anal fins are at the back of the carapace and the caudal peduncle is thin and flexible. The caudal fin is fan shaped. [7] The largest species in the genus is the buffalo trunkfish (L. trigonus) with a maximum published total length of 55 cm (22 in). [5]

Toxicity

Lactophrys trunkfishes, like other trunkfishes, secrete a colorless toxin from glands on its skin when touched. The toxin is only dangerous when ingested, so there is no immediate harm to divers. Predators however, as large as nurse sharks, can die as a result of eating a trunkfish. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ostraciidae</span> Family of boxfishes

Ostraciidae or Ostraciontidae is a family of squared, bony fish belonging to the order Tetraodontiformes, closely related to the pufferfishes and filefishes. Fish in the family are known variously as boxfishes, cofferfishes, cowfishes and trunkfishes. It contains about 23 extant species in 6 extant genera.

<i>Ostracion</i> Genus of fishes

Ostracion is a genus of is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. These fishes are found in the Indo-Pacific region as far east as the eastern Pacific coasts of the Americas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scrawled cowfish</span> Species of fish

The scrawled cowfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted trunkfish</span> Species of fish

The spotted trunkfish is a member of the family Ostraciidae. It lives in reefs throughout the Caribbean, as well as the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. It gets its name from the black spots on its whitish or yellow-golden body. In Caribbean countries, it is colloquially known as the boxfish, cow-fish or shellfish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smooth trunkfish</span> Species of fish

Lactophrys triqueter the smooth trunkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. The smooth trunkfish is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Capropygia</i> Monospecific genus of fish

Capropygia is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Aracanidae, the deepwater boxfishes or temperate boxfishes. The only species in the genus is the black-banded pigmy boxfish, also known as the spiny boxfish which is endemic to southern Australia.

Polyplacapros is a monospecific genus of ray-finned fish beloning to the family Aracanidae, the temperate boxfishes or deep water boxfishes. The only species in the genus is Polyplacapros tyleri, Tyler's boxfish, which is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

<i>Acanthostracion</i> Genus of fishes

Acanthostracion is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. These fishes are found in the Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Lactoria</i> Genus of fishes

Lactoria is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. The fishes in this genus are found in the Indo-Pacific, with one species extending into the southeastern Atlantic.

Paracanthostracion is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. The only species in the genus is Paracanthostracion lindsayi, Lindsay's boxfish, which is found in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean.

<i>Ostracion rhinorhynchos</i> Species of fish

Ostracion rhinorhynchos, the horn-nosed boxfish or torpedo boxfish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. This fish occurs in the Indo-West Pacific region.

<i>Aracana aurita</i> Species of fish

Aracana aurita, Shaw's cowfish, painted boxfish, Southern cowfish or striped cowfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Aracanidae, the deepwater boxfishes or temperate boxfishes. This species is endemic to the seas off southern Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shortnose boxfish</span> Species of fish

The Shortnose boxfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. This species is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Lactophrys trigonus</i> Species of fish

Lactophrys trigonus, the buffalo trunkfish or trunkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. The buffalo trunkfish is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Anoplocapros lenticularis</i> Species of fish

Anoplocapros lenticularis, the white-barred boxfish, flame boxfish, high-backed boxfish, humpback boxfish, humpty dumpty or smooth boxfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Aracanidae, the deepwater boxfishes or temperate boxfishes. This fish is endemic to the seas of southern and western Australia.

<i>Lactoria diaphana</i> Species of fish

Lactoria diaphana, the roundbelly cowfish, diaphonous cowfish, many-spined cowfish, spiny cowfish or transparent cowfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. This fish is found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Indo-Pacific.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ostracioidea</span>

Ostracioidea or Ostracioidei, the boxfishes, is a suborder of ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Tetraodontiformes, which also includes the pufferfishes, filefishes and triggerfishes. The fishes in this taxon are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Kentrocapros spilonotus, the Hawaiian basketfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Aracanidae, the temperate boxfishes or deepwater boxfishes. This species is known from two places in the Hawaiian Islands, one near Laysan and the other is the Penguin Bank.

<i>Ostracion cyanurus</i> Species of fish

Ostracion cyanurus, the bluetail trunkfish, Arabian trunkfish or Red Sea boxfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. This species is found in the Western Indian Ocean.

<i>Ostracion trachys</i> Species of fish

Ostracion trachys, the rough boxfish or roughskin trunkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. It is found in the Western Indian Ocean around the Mascarenes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Ostraciidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  2. 1 2 Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Lactophrys". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  3. ↑ Nelson, J.S.; Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 518–526. doi:10.1002/9781119174844. ISBN   978-1-118-34233-6. LCCN   2015037522. OCLC   951899884. OL   25909650M.
  4. ↑ Christopher Scharpf (21 August 2024). "Order TETRAODONTIFORMES: Families MOLIDAE, BALISTIDAE, MONACANTHIDAE, ARACANIDAE and OSTRACIIDAE". Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  5. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Lactophrys". FishBase . June 2024 version.
  6. ↑ Matsuura, K. (2014). "Taxonomy and systematics of tetraodontiform fishes: a review focusing primarily on progress in the period from 1980 to 2014". Ichthyological Research. 62 (1): 72–113. Bibcode:2015IchtR..62...72M. doi: 10.1007/s10228-014-0444-5 .
  7. ↑ "Genus: Lactophrys, Trunkfish Boxfish, Trunkfishes". Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute . Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  8. ↑ Maurice Burton; Robert Burton (2002). International Wildlife Encyclopedia. New York: Marshall Cavendish. p. 2759. ISBN   0-7614-7286-X.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.