© Jan Ebr & Ivana EbrováCC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist
Honeycomb Cowfish
Acanthostracion polygonius
Spotted Boxfish (male)
Ostracion meleagris
- Max size
- View in app
- Max depth
- 30 m
- Found in
- 80 regions
How to recognise it
- Colours
- whiteblackyellowblue
- Body shape
- Rectangular
- Pattern
- Blotches or dots
Ostracion meleagris is a species of boxfish found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Description
This species grows to a length of 25 centimetres (9.8 in) TL. Males and females differ in colour: males are blackish on the back with white spots, and have bluish sides with bright yellowish bands and spots. Females and juveniles are dark brown to blackish with white to yellow spots.
Distribution
Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific: East Africa to the Mexico, north to southern Japan and the Hawaiian Islands, south to New Caledonia and the Tuamoto Islands.
The subspecies Ostracion meleagris camurum is found in the Hawaiian Islands and Ostracion meleagris clippertonense in the Eastern Pacific. Species replaced by Ostracion cyanurus in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Habitat
It is found on reefs at depths of from 1 to 30 metres (3.3 to 98.4 ft).
Similar species
© Jan Ebr & Ivana EbrováCC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist 
© Dan SchofieldCC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist
Horn-nose Boxfish
Ostracion rhinorhynchos
© Daniel BenákCC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist
Humpback Turretfish
Tetrosomus gibbosus
© Pierre PericardCC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist
Longhorn Cowfish
Lactoria cornuta
© Dan SchofieldCC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist
Smooth Trunkfish
Rhinesomus triqueter
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Spotted Boxfish (female)
Ostracion meleagris
Questions
Is Spotted Boxfish (male) dangerous?
Spotted Boxfish (male) is classified as venomous. Always exercise caution and keep a safe distance.
Where can you find Spotted Boxfish (male)?
How deep does Spotted Boxfish (male) live?
Spotted Boxfish (male) can be found at depths of up to 30 meters.
