Scientific Name
Acanthostracion polygonius

Common Name
Honeycomb cowfish

Biology
Bold pattern of hexagons outlined by narrow dark lines; centers and areas between hexagons pale (Ref. 26938). Purplish blue on sides and ventrally (Ref. 13442).

Classification

Classified By

Poey, 1876

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Puffers and Filefishes (Tetraodontiformes)

Family

Boxfishes (Ostraciidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: New Jersey, USA and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Caribbean and Antilles. Absent from the Gulf of Mexico.

Range

41°N - 33°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

3 m

Depth To - meters

80 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 80 m (Ref. 9710)

Trophic Level

2.02 s.e. 0.04 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

50.0 cm

Common Length

25.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5625 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (32 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Fec assumed to be > 10,000)

Threat To Humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated