Honeycomb cowfish (Acanthostracion polygonius)

Scientific name: Acanthostracion polygonius Poey, 1876

The Honeycomb cowfish (Acanthostracion polygonius) is a marine fish of the family Ostraciidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, New Jersey, USA and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Caribbean and Antilles. Absent from the Gulf of Mexico.

Biology

Bold pattern of hexagons outlined by narrow dark lines; centers and areas between hexagons pale. Purplish blue on sides and ventrally.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Acanthostracion polygonius
Family: Ostraciidae (Boxfishes)
Order: Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and Filefishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 50.0
Common length: 25.0
Depth range: 3–80 m (10–262 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 80 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Western Atlantic: New Jersey, USA and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Caribbean and Antilles. Absent from the Gulf of Mexico.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Fec assumed to be > 10,000)