General Description
Body robust, encased in a rigid box-like carapace, with stout spines above the eye, along the back and on the lower sides. Males are strikingly-coloured with blue, black, yellow and orange stripes and spots. Females are brownish with a complex pattern of pale stripes, wavy lines and circles. Shaw's Cowfish lacks the a hump on the snout in males of this species and has diagonal lines on snout. Up to 15 cm long head to tail tip.
Biology
The Ornate Boxfish is common in shallow seagrass beds in bays and estuaries along the southern coast. This slow moving species feeds on benthic invertebrates.
Distribution
Southern Australia.
Habitat
Shallow coastal waters and bays with seagrass or algal cover.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Body deep, robust, encased in a rigid carapace with stout spines; males blue, black, orange and yellow with a hump on the snout, females brown with wavy lines and circles.
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Habitats
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Diet
Carnivore
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Diet Categories
Invertebrates
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Least Concern
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Depths
Shallow (1-30 m)
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Water Column Locations
On or near seafloor
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
(Gray, 1838)
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Common Name
Ornate Cowfish
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Superclass
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Class
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Order
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
ornata
