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Bony fish

Buffalo Trunkfish

Lactophrys trigonus

Also known as: Buffalo Boxfish, Buffalo Cowfish, Cowfish, Spotted Trunkfish, Trunkfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2015
Add a photo
Adult
1
@fazzig · Iguana Reef Inn, Belize · March 20151 / 16
01

Overview

Found around coral, rubble and seagrass beds over off-shore reefs. Colour can vary to blend in with background.

The bodies of Boxfish are covered in a toxic mucus which can be released when stressed.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
spots
Behaviour
camouflagedchanges colour

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean, Mediterranean
  • Country only · 16
LIVES IN

Found around coral, rubble and seagrass beds over off-shore reefs.

RANGE
04

Adult photos 16

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderTetraodontiformes
    5. familyOstraciidae
    6. genusLactophrys
    7. speciesLactophrys trigonus (Linnaeus, 1758)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Boxfishes (Ostraciidae)

    Bluetail Trunkfish

    Ostracion cyanurus

    7 photos

    Honeycomb Cowfish

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    Horn-nosed Boxfish

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    Humpback Turretfish

    Tetrosomus gibbosus

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    Longhorn Cowfish

    Lactoria cornuta

    JuvenileAdult

    Roundbelly Cowfish

    Lactoria diaphana

    0 photos

    Scrawled Cowfish

    Acanthostracion quadricornis

    6 photos

    Shortnose Boxfish

    Ostracion nasus

    1 photo

    Smallspine Turretfish

    Tetrosomus reipublicae

    0 photos

    Smooth Trunkfish

    Lactophrys triqueter

    JuvenileAdult

    Solor Boxfish

    Ostracion solorense

    6 photos

    Spotted Trunkfish

    Lactophrys bicaudalis

    JuvenileAdult