| Scrawled cowfish | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Suborder: | Ostracioidea |
| Family: | Ostraciidae |
| Genus: | Acanthostracion |
| Species: | A. quadricornis |
| Binomial name | |
| Acanthostracion quadricornis | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
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The scrawled cowfish (Acanthostracion quadricornis) is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
The scrawled cowfish was first formally described as Ostracion quadricornis by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, published in 1758. Linnaeus erroneously gave the type locality of this species as "India". [3] In 1865 Pieter Bleeker proposed a new subgenus of Ostracion which he called Acanthostracion . Bleeker did not designate a type species when he first used the name in his paper, [lower-roman 1] but he designated Ostracion quadricornis as the type species later that year when he published his Atlas ichthyologique des Indes Orientalis Neerlandais. [4] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Acanthostracion within the family Ostraciidae, in the suborder Ostracioidea, within the order Tetraodontiformes. [5]
The scrawled cowfish is classified within the genus Acanthostracion, which combines acanthus, referring to a "spine" or "thorn", with ostracion. Bleeker originally proposed this taxon as a subgenus of Ostracion . The specific name, quadricornis, means "four horned", a reference to the superorbital spines and those at each lower rear corner of the fish's carapace. [6] The name "cowfish" refers to the spines above its eyes, which resemble the horns of a cow.
The scrawled cowfish has a thick, oblong body, which is largely enclosed in a thickened carapace with enlarged, plate-like hexagonal scales that are jointed with each other, the mouth, eyes, gills, fins, and the caudal peduncle. The bases of the dorsal and anal fins are completely encircled by the carapace. A pair of large spines projects over and beyond the eyes from each orbit. Another pair of spines occurs at each lower, rear corner of the carapace, and the isolated plate-like scales on the upper and lower caudal peduncle are also expanded into short spines. The small mouth has fleshy lips, and each jaw is equipped with fifteen moderately-sized conical teeth. [7] The dorsal and anal fins both have ten soft rays. [2] The overall color of the fish varies from gray-brown to yellowish green, with a longitudinal blue strip running from the snout to the origin of the anal fin. There are many irregular blackish-blue to bright blue stripes and spots on the body. The cheeks are marked with three or four parallel blue stripes, although the blue markings are absent in some individuals. The juveniles are an overall pale gray-brown, marked with blue spots having dark edges. [7] The maximum published total length of the scrawled cowfish is 55 cm (22 in). [2]
The scrawled cowfish is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean, where it occurs from Massachusetts and Bermuda, south through the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and along the coast of South America as far south as southern Brazil, including Trindade Island. This species occurs in shallow water, down to around 80 m (260 ft), most frequently being found in seagrass beds. Along the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, the scrawled cowfish inhabits the marine zones of lagoon ecosystems. [1]
The scrawled cowfish feeds on sessile invertebrates including tunicates, gorgonians, and sea anemones as well as slow-moving crustaceans, sponges, hermit crabs and some marine vegetation. This species has been recorded spawning in January and February, and between June and the end of September in Venezualan waters. The eggs and larvae are pelagic, with settlement taking place following metamorphosis of the larvae into juveniles. [8]
Scrawled cowfish are regarded as quite tasty if cooked properly. It is locally abundant in the Caribbean region, and often sold fresh. In many places around the world they are used as an aquarium fish because of their beautiful coloration. [8] As with other species of boxfish, the scrawled cowfish's bony carapace gives it a distinctly angular appearance; its oblate form has been compared to a frisbee. [9]
The honeycomb cowfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. This fish is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
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.
Aracana is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Aracanidae, the deepwater boxfishes or temperate boxfishes. These fishes are endemic to the waters around Australia.
Caprichthys 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 rigid boxfish, also known as the black-spotted boxfish or ornate pigmy boxfish which is endemic to southwestern Australia.
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.
Acanthostracion is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. These fishes are found in the Atlantic Ocean.
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.
Tripodichthys is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthidae, the triplespines or tripodfishes. The three species in this genus are found in the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean in shallow water over soft substrates.
Aracana ornata, the ornate cowfish or ornate boxfish, 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.
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.
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.
The island cowfish, also known as the hogfish, bottlefish boxfish or island boxfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the cowfishes. This fish is found around the islands of the mid-Atlantic Ocean and has beeen recorded from Western Africa.
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.
The Western smooth boxfish, also known as the blue boxfish or robust boxfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Aracanidae, the deep water boxfishes or temperate boxfishes. This fish is endemic to the seas of southwestern Australia.
Kentrocapros aculeatus, the Itomaki basketfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish beloning to the family Aracanidae, the temperate boxfishes or deepwater boxfishes. This species is found in the north western and central Pacific Ocean.
Kentrocapros flavimaculatus is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Aracanidae, the temperate boxfishes or deepwater boxfishes. This species is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean around New Zealand and was first formally described in 2023.
Kentrocapros rosapinto, the basketfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Aracanidae, the temperate boxfishes or deepwater boxfishes. This fish is found in the Western Indian Ocean and in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean.
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.
Acanthostracion guineense, the West African cowfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. This species is found off the coast of Western Africa in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. This species is the smallest member of the genus Acanthostracion.
