Scrawled Cowfish
Acanthostracion quadricornis
- Group: Boxfish
- Typical depth: 1–80 m
- Max size: 55 cm
- For divers: safe
- IUCN status: LC
Boxed in fused bony plates with a sharp horn jutting over each eye, the scrawled cowfish can only flutter its fins to move, swimming in slow precise hovers. It grazes seagrass beds for tunicates, sponges, anemones and slow crabs, and has been linked to ciguatera poisoning when eaten.
Taxonomy: Animalia › Chordata › Teleostei › Tetraodontiformes › Ostraciidae › Acanthostracion
Species data via the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), AphiaID 158920.
FAQ
- How deep does the Scrawled Cowfish live?
- The Scrawled Cowfish (Acanthostracion quadricornis) is typically found at 1–80 m.
- Is the Scrawled Cowfish dangerous to divers?
- The Scrawled Cowfish is harmless to divers.
- How big does the Scrawled Cowfish get?
- The Scrawled Cowfish grows to about 55 cm.