Scientific Name
Lactoria fornasini

Common Name
Thornback cowfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 9. Caudal fin rays 10. Strong spine on middle of dorsal ridge.

Classification

Classified By

Bianconi, 1846

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Puffers and Filefishes (Tetraodontiformes)

Family

Boxfishes (Ostraciidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-West Pacific

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: East Africa to the Hawaiian and Rapa Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island. Southeast Atlantic: sometimes reaching the southeast coast of South Africa (Ref. 3141).

Range

32°N - 32°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

5 m

Depth To - meters

80 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 5 - 80 m (Ref. 37816), usually 6 - 30 m (Ref. 9710)

Trophic Level

3.41 s.e. 0.38 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

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

23.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown 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: of no interest; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (12 of 100)

Resilience

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

Threat To Humans

Venomous

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated