Ostracion meleagris

Lore & Background

The spotted boxfish was first formally described in 1796 by the English naturalist George Shaw, with its type locality given as the Southern Ocean, i.e. the South Pacific. Its genus name Ostracion means 'little box', alluding to the body shape of its type species, while the specific name meleagris refers to the helmeted guineafowl, an allusion to the white spots on a dark background resembling that bird's plumage. 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, while females and juveniles are dark brown to blackish with white spots. The article notes that juvenile males with male patterns have never been seen, suggesting either that juvenile males are born with female colors or that all young are female and change sex later. The fish is protected by a toxic slime that can kill other fish, making it unsuitable for aquariums.

Reader's Guide

The spotted boxfish is a member of the family Ostraciidae within the order Tetraodontiformes. Its body is enclosed in a bony box formed by thickened, joined, enlarged, hexagonal scale plates, with openings for the mouth, eyes, gill slits, fins, and tail base. It has a small mouth with fleshy lips and 15 mid-sized teeth on each jaw, short oblique gill slits, a rounded caudal fin, no spines on the dorsal fin, and no pelvic fins. Its diet consists of sponges, worms, tunicates, and other small invertebrates. The species is known to produce sounds during mating: a low-pitched humming lasting about six seconds, and during fights between males, audible thumps and short buzzing sounds. Ichthyologist Phillip Lobel observed that mating occurs in the afternoon and early evening, with groups consisting of one male and several females. After mating, other males may attempt to disrupt the process, leading to fights.

Did You Know?

• The spotted boxfish's bony carapace has been described as resembling an ottoman.
• During mating, the male and female swim side-by-side, rising 6 feet or more from the bottom, and release gametes together.