They are a relatively small marine fish reaching lengths of about 8-16 inches. They can be found throughout the tropics, as far north as Massachusetts, south as Brazil and in the Gulf of Mexico. They were seen in both coral reef and seagrass bed habitats throughout this week in the Keys. Compared to other species like the blue striped grunt or sergeant major, they were not as timid or evasive when approached. Instead, they would attempt to camouflage in whatever surrounding they were in, but if you got too close they would quickly swim away. Did you know that they have the ability to release a toxic substance called ostracitoxin if they feel threatened enough? This is a neurotoxin specific to the mucus secretions of Boxfish (family Ostraciidae), but is now referred to as Pahutoxin. Another difference that makes them unique from other fish we saw this week is that their body does not have scales, but is made up of fused dermal plates. This makes them firm to touch and have no “give” in their body when held. This is a feature that helps them protect against predators. Their common name was derived from the pair of horns above their eyes that resemble those of cows. This feature also helps to distinguish them from trunkfish, which look very similar! They also have another pair of horns near their anal fin which is how they got their species name quadricornis. The Scrawled Cowfish is known to eat small crustaceans, anemones, and sessile invertebrates such as sponges, tunicates, and gorgonians! On the other hand, they are known to be a big food commodity in the Caribbean, but thankfully this has not severely impacted their population status! Additionally they have been know to be poisonous due to their toxins if prepared incorrectly. Aside from humans, other environmental factors can have an impact on their livelihood as they play important roles in the environments they inhabit.
Originally posted 26 May 2019
(first picture is mine, second is not)
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