Specimen A 31860.1 Ornate Cowfish Model, Aracana ornata (Gray, 1838)

Summary

This Ornate Cowfish model was made by Museums Victoria's Preparators in 2007, for the Welcome Map, a massive three-dimensional map of Victoria featuring 56 showcases at the entry to Melbourne Museum. To make the model, Preparators used a preserved specimen from the fish collection to make silicon rubber moulds. Two moulds made, one for the main body and one for the pectoral fins. The final model was cast in polyester resin and painted with artists acrylics.

The Ornate Cowfish (Aracana ornata) is representative of south east Australia's unique marine fauna. It is common in shallow seagrass beds in bays and estuaries along the southern coast. This model shows a male Cowfish. Males are strikingly-coloured with blue, black, yellow and orange stripes and spots.