Ornate Cowfish, Aracana ornata (Gray, 1838)
Scientific name: Aracana ornata
Alternative name/s:
Ornate Boxfish
Ornate Boxfish
Click to enlarge image
A male Ornate Cowfish at a depth of 4m, Point Turton jetty, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, 16 April 2012.
Image: David Muirhead
© David Muirhead
© David Muirhead
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Aracana
- Species
- ornata
- Family
- Ostraciidae
- Order
- Tetraodontiformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- 15 cm
Introduction
The Ornate Cowfish is a sexually dimorphic species that is endemic to Australia.
Identification
Males have a complex pattern of dots and lines. The tail is yellow with blue markings. Females have brown and white stripes. They can be separated from the similar-looking Shaw's Cowfish, by the more upright spines above the eyes.
A female Ornate Cowfish at a depth of 4m, Turton jetty, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, 16 April 2012.
Image: David Muirhead© David Muirhead
Distribution
The species occurs from southern New South Wales to the south-western coast of Western Australia.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia
References
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
