Description
The Lactoria cornuta, or longhorn cowfish, is a marine fish easily identified by two long horns on its head and two spines under its tail, resembling a cow or bull. It has a hard, box-like body with a rigid, bony carapace instead of scales, and its skin can release a toxic substance when it is stressed. This omnivorous fish is yellow to olive in color, often with white or blue spots, and lives in the Indo-Pacific region.
Physical characteristics
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Body shape: Rigid, box-like, and triangular when viewed from the front.
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Appendages: Two long, horn-like spines protrude from the front of the head, and a pair of shorter spines is located under the tail.
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Coloration: Varies from yellow to olive-green, often with white or bluish spots.
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Defense: Possesses a hard, protective bony carapace and poisonous skin that releases a toxin (ostracitoxin) when stressed.
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Eyes: Its eyes can move independently, allowing it to look in two different directions at once.
Behavior and diet
Often solitary and territorial, it can blow jets of water into the sand to uncover buried prey.
An omnivore that eats a wide range of items, including worms, mollusks, small crustaceans, and sponges, and also strains microorganisms from sediment.
Habitat and distribution
Indo-Pacific region, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Marquesas Islands, north to South Korea and Japan, and south to Australia.
Inhabits sandy or weedy areas near reefs and enters estuaries, typically from 1 to 100 meters deep
