Longhorn cowfish (Lactoria cornuta)

Scientific name: Lactoria cornuta Linnaeus, 1758

Longhorn cowfish (Lactoria cornuta)

The Longhorn cowfish (Lactoria cornuta) is a brackish-water fish of the family Ostraciidae. Native range: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea and East Africa to the Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Cryptic coloring ranges from green and olive to orange with blue spots. Caudal fin rays 9-10.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Lactoria cornuta
Family
Ostraciidae (Boxfishes)
Order
Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and Filefishes)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
46.0
Common length
40.0
Depth range
18–100 m (59–328 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 18 - 100 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Fec assumed to be > 10,000)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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