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Bony fish

Shaw's Cowfish

Aracana aurita

Also known as: Boxfish, Cowfish, Painted Boxfish, Shaw's Boxfish, Shaw's Trunkfish, Southern Cowfish, Striped Cowfish, Striped Trunkfish, Temperate Boxfish, Trunkfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2020
Add a photo
Adult
@greatwhite · Sydney Aquarium, Australia · April 20121 / 2
01

Overview

Found singly, in rocky areas and seagrass beds, often in deep estuaries, sheltered bays, harbours, rocky reefs and over the continental shelf.
Eastern Indian Ocean- Australia

The bodies of Boxfish are covered in a toxic mucus which can be released when stressed.
Aracanidae are related to the boxfish but usually found in deeper waters.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
mazestripes
Body shape
spines
Behaviour
solitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Eastern Indian Ocean
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly, in rocky areas and seagrass beds, often in deep estuaries, sheltered bays, harbours, rocky reefs and over the continental shelf.

RANGE
04

Adult photos 2

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. familyAracanidae
    6. genusAracana
    7. speciesAracana aurita (Shaw, 1798)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

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