Spotted trunkfish (Lactophrys bicaudalis)

Scientific name: Lactophrys bicaudalis Linnaeus, 1758

The Spotted trunkfish (Lactophrys bicaudalis) is a marine fish of the family Ostraciidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Florida (USA), Bahamas, and southern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Ascension Island.

Biology

Whitish with numerous small black spots on carapace, caudal peduncle and caudal fin; lips whitish; bases of dorsal, anal and pectoral fins blackish; large adults with black spots missing from three small areas in a diagonal row anteriorly on body at level of eye, appearing as three white spots.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Lactophrys bicaudalis
Family: Ostraciidae (Boxfishes)
Order: Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and Filefishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 48.0
Common length: 20.0
Depth range: 3–50 m (10–164 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 50 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Western Atlantic: Florida (USA), Bahamas, and southern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Ascension Island.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses: Aquarium: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Fec assumed to be > 10,000)