Aracana ornata
| Ornate cowfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
 | |
| Female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Aracanidae |
| Genus: | Aracana |
| Species: | A. ornata |
| Binomial name | |
| Aracana ornata (J.E. Gray, 1838) | |
Aracana ornata, the ornate cowfish, is a species of boxfish native to southern Australia. First described by John Edward Gray in 1838,[1] the species has a maximum length of 15 cm. They can be differentiated from their close cousins the striped cowfish by the upright look of the spines near their eyes,[2] and their slightly smaller length.[3] Their body is encased in a rigid box-like carapace composed of large sculptured bony plates; bony ridges with large recurved spines; dorsal and anal fins opposite and far back on the body; bony plates on tail base absent or rudimentary.[4]
Ornate cowfish are sexually dimorphic; males have yellow or blue lines and spots, while females are plain with orange-brown stripes.[2] These fish are rarely kept as pets by aquarium hobbyists, as stress can cause them to release ostracitoxin from their skin, easily killing other fish in a tank.