Whitespotted boxfish (Ostracion meleagris) fish species and information / pictures of Whitespotted boxfish - Ostracion meleagris

Whitespotted boxfish (Ostracion meleagris) fish species information

Scientific Name
Ostracion meleagris

Common Name
Whitespotted boxfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9. Juveniles and females brown or green with white spots; large males with orange bands and spots on side of body (Ref. 3141). Caudal fin rays 10 (Ref. 3141). Sexually dimorphic (Ref. 37816).

Classification

Classified By

Shaw, 1796

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Puffers and Filefishes (Tetraodontiformes)

Family

Boxfishes (Ostraciidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific: East Africa to the Mexico, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian Islands, south to New Caledonia and the Tuamoto Islands. The subspecies Ostracion meleagris camurum is found in the Hawaiian Islands and Ostracion meleagris clippertonense in the Eastern Pacific. Species replaced by Ostracion cyanurus in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Range

32°N - 23°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

30 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 30 m (Ref. 9710)

Trophic Level

2.91 s.e. 0.14 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

25.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5039 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (13 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Fec assumed to be > 10,000)

Threat To Humans

Venomous

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated