West African cowfish

Lore & Background

Acanthostracion guineense was first formally described as Ostracion guineense in 1865 by the Dutch physician, herpetologist and ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker, with its type locality given as 'Guinea'. The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Acanthostracion within the family Ostraciidae in the suborder Ostracioidea within the order Tetraodontiformes. The genus name Acanthostracion combines acanthus, meaning 'spine' or 'thorn', with ostracion; Bleeker originally proposed this taxon as a subgenus of the genus Ostracion. The specific name means 'of Guinea', and while it is sometimes written as giuneensis, the genus name is neuter so guineense is correct.

Reader's Guide

The West African cowfish is significant as the smallest member of the genus Acanthostracion, with a maximum published total length of 18 cm. It is found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean along the coast of Western Africa between Mauritania and Angola, occurring at depths between 0 and 200 m on the continental shelf. The species was described in 1865 by Pieter Bleeker, a notable Dutch physician and ichthyologist, based on a type specimen from Guinea. Its classification places it within the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes, in the order Tetraodontiformes. The IUCN classifies the species as data deficient, noting that while it is common in some parts of its range, there is very little data on its population, life history, or ecology. This lack of information underscores the need for further research to understand its role in the marine ecosystem of the West African coast.

Did You Know?

• The West African cowfish is the smallest member of the genus Acanthostracion.
• It was first described in 1865 by Dutch ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker.
• Its type locality is given as 'Guinea'.
• The IUCN classifies it as data deficient due to very little data on population, life history, or ecology.