266: OSTRACIIDAE (BOXFISHES)
D 8-9; A 8-9; P 10-11; C 9-10. Easily recognised by the long frontal
"horns" and large fan-like tail.
A beautiful fish with cryptic colouring varying from green
and olive to orange with blue spots. Attains about 46 cm.
Indo-West Pacific, frequently thrown ashore westwards to
beyond Mossel Bay.
266.4 Lactoria diaphana
(Bloch & Schneider, 180.1)
PLATE 141
Spiny cowfish
Stekel-koeivis
Ostradon diaphanus Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 501 (no type locality).
Lactoria diaphana: Smith, SFSA No. II79'; Smith & Smith, 1966: 147'.
D 9; A 9; P 10-11; C 10. Small spine on back and short spines before
eyes; belly rounded and ventral ridges considerably extended to give
carapace the wide-bottomed shape. Teeth in this species increase in
number from 10-12 in upper and 6-7 in lower jaw of specimens less than 30
mm, to 13-16 in upper and 7-9 in lower jaws oflarge adults.
Attains 25 cm. Common in Indo-West Pacific south to the
Cape; adults frequently thrown ashore and semi-transparent young often enter estuaries and when caught In
throw nets cause much interest.
266.5 Lactoria fornasini
(Bianconi, 1846)
PLATES 140. & 141
Backspine cowfish
Rugstekel-koeivis
Ostracion fornasini Bianconi, 1846: 115 (Mozambique) . Lactoria fuscomaculata von Bonde, 1923: 38, PI. 9, Fig. 1 (Natal; labelled "fuscolineata" on plate). Lactoriafornasini: Smith, SFSA No. II80'; Sanches,
1963: 186'.
D 9; A 9; P 10-11; C 10; charac,:terised by the strong spine on dorsal
ridge.
Cryptic colouring. Attains 23 cm or more. Coral and
weedy areas of tropical Indo-West Pacific, quite common
along tropical east African coast, occasional specimens
reach Algoa Bay.
266.5 Laetoria tomasini: 12 em (Inhaea Id.).
892
Genus Ostracion Linnaeus, 1758
Characterised by the rectangular carapace, a typical
"box"; ridges and back gently rounded; no spines on
carapace. About 7 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Length of anterior (mouth) opening of carapace
0.9-1.2 times horizontal eye diameter; adults
with white spots on carapace, C and peduncle ............ O. meleagris
1 b Length of anterior opening of carapace 1.3-2.0
times horizontal eye diameter; adults with darkedged pale blue or white spots on carapace and
dark spots on C and peduncle ............................. .. ... O. cubicus
Boxy
266.6 Ostracion cubicus
Linnaeus, 1758
PLATE 141
Koffertjie
Ostradon cubicus Linnaeus, 1758: 332 (India); Smith, 1980: 186. Ostracion tuberculatus Smith, SFSA No. II77'; Smith & Smith, 1966: 147'.
D 8-9; A 9; P 10-11; C 10-12.
A beautiful well-known fish displaying sexual dichromatism: adult males become brilliant yellow with blue dorsal
surface, while females are basically olive. Juveniles are
bright yellow with large round black spots; with growth, yel. low changes to olivaceous and light dark-edged spots appear on carapace. Attains 45 cm. Indo-West Pacific and
Red Sea; often thrown ashore along our coast as far west as
Knysna. Fresh from the water has an aromatic odour.
266.6 Ostraeion eubieus top: 3 em (East London); bottom: 23 em (E. Cape).
266.7 Ostracion meleagris
Shaw, 1796
PLATE 141
Whitespotted boxfish
Witspikkel-koffervis
Ostracion meleagris Shaw, in Shaw & Nodder, 1796: PI. 253 (South
Pacific); Smith, 1980: 186. Ostracion lentiginosus: Smith, SFSA No.
D 8-9; A 8-9; P 10-11; C 9-10. Easily recognised by the long frontal
"horns" and large fan-like tail.
A beautiful fish with cryptic colouring varying from green
and olive to orange with blue spots. Attains about 46 cm.
Indo-West Pacific, frequently thrown ashore westwards to
beyond Mossel Bay.
266.4 Lactoria diaphana
(Bloch & Schneider, 180.1)
PLATE 141
Spiny cowfish
Stekel-koeivis
Ostradon diaphanus Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 501 (no type locality).
Lactoria diaphana: Smith, SFSA No. II79'; Smith & Smith, 1966: 147'.
D 9; A 9; P 10-11; C 10. Small spine on back and short spines before
eyes; belly rounded and ventral ridges considerably extended to give
carapace the wide-bottomed shape. Teeth in this species increase in
number from 10-12 in upper and 6-7 in lower jaw of specimens less than 30
mm, to 13-16 in upper and 7-9 in lower jaws oflarge adults.
Attains 25 cm. Common in Indo-West Pacific south to the
Cape; adults frequently thrown ashore and semi-transparent young often enter estuaries and when caught In
throw nets cause much interest.
266.5 Lactoria fornasini
(Bianconi, 1846)
PLATES 140. & 141
Backspine cowfish
Rugstekel-koeivis
Ostracion fornasini Bianconi, 1846: 115 (Mozambique) . Lactoria fuscomaculata von Bonde, 1923: 38, PI. 9, Fig. 1 (Natal; labelled "fuscolineata" on plate). Lactoriafornasini: Smith, SFSA No. II80'; Sanches,
1963: 186'.
D 9; A 9; P 10-11; C 10; charac,:terised by the strong spine on dorsal
ridge.
Cryptic colouring. Attains 23 cm or more. Coral and
weedy areas of tropical Indo-West Pacific, quite common
along tropical east African coast, occasional specimens
reach Algoa Bay.
266.5 Laetoria tomasini: 12 em (Inhaea Id.).
892
Genus Ostracion Linnaeus, 1758
Characterised by the rectangular carapace, a typical
"box"; ridges and back gently rounded; no spines on
carapace. About 7 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Length of anterior (mouth) opening of carapace
0.9-1.2 times horizontal eye diameter; adults
with white spots on carapace, C and peduncle ............ O. meleagris
1 b Length of anterior opening of carapace 1.3-2.0
times horizontal eye diameter; adults with darkedged pale blue or white spots on carapace and
dark spots on C and peduncle ............................. .. ... O. cubicus
Boxy
266.6 Ostracion cubicus
Linnaeus, 1758
PLATE 141
Koffertjie
Ostradon cubicus Linnaeus, 1758: 332 (India); Smith, 1980: 186. Ostracion tuberculatus Smith, SFSA No. II77'; Smith & Smith, 1966: 147'.
D 8-9; A 9; P 10-11; C 10-12.
A beautiful well-known fish displaying sexual dichromatism: adult males become brilliant yellow with blue dorsal
surface, while females are basically olive. Juveniles are
bright yellow with large round black spots; with growth, yel. low changes to olivaceous and light dark-edged spots appear on carapace. Attains 45 cm. Indo-West Pacific and
Red Sea; often thrown ashore along our coast as far west as
Knysna. Fresh from the water has an aromatic odour.
266.6 Ostraeion eubieus top: 3 em (East London); bottom: 23 em (E. Cape).
266.7 Ostracion meleagris
Shaw, 1796
PLATE 141
Whitespotted boxfish
Witspikkel-koffervis
Ostracion meleagris Shaw, in Shaw & Nodder, 1796: PI. 253 (South
Pacific); Smith, 1980: 186. Ostracion lentiginosus: Smith, SFSA No.