Buffalo trunkfish (Lactophrys trigonus)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Tetraodontiformes · Family: Ostraciidae · Genus: Lactophrys.

Accepted name: Lactophrys trigonus · Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 158931.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Ostracion expansum Cope, 1871; Ostracion trigonus Linnaeus, 1758; Ostracion undulatus Poey, 1868; Ostracium expansum Cope, 1871.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=158931 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Lactophrys trigonus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 55 cm · Common length: 30 cm · Depth range: 2–50 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 42 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Inhabits seagrass beds, coral rubble areas, and offshore reefs down to about 50 m. Feeds on a wide variety of small benthic invertebrates such as mollusks, crustaceans, worms and sessile tunicates, as well as some sea grasses (Ref. 3696). Highly esteemed food fish in the Caribbean (Ref. 3696).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 1107) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Lactophrys-trigonus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

23,260 georeferenced occurrence records for Lactophrys trigonus are published through GBIF from 32 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 82 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 25 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: United States of America (18,629); Puerto Rico (4,099); Mexico (125); Brazil (99); Belize (80).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2408096) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2408096&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=158931 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Lactophrys trigonus (Linnaeus, 1758) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 193816) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/193816/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2408096) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2408096/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Lactophrys trigonus was first formally described as Ostracion trigonus in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae with its type locality given as the Western Atlantic. In 1839 William Swainson proposed a new subgenus of Ostracion he called Lactophrys and in 1865 Pieter Bleeker designated this species, O. trigonus as the type species of Lactophrys. The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Lactophrys within the family Ostraciidae in the suborder Ostracioidea within the order Tetraodontiformes.

Lactophrys trigonus is a member of the genus Lactophrys, a name which is a compound of lactaria, meaning a "milkcow", and ophrys, meaning "eyebrow", a reference to the spines above the eyes resembling the horns of a cow. Some fishes in this family are known as cowfishes. The specific name, trigonus, means "three angles", a reference to this fish's triangular body when viewed head on.

The trunkfish has small diffuse white spots. Two areas, located on the pectoral region and halfway between gills and posterior end of carapace, contain dark-edged hexagonal plates that together form chain-like markings. It can reach a length of 30–50 cm and weigh up to 3.3 kg.

The species is native to the Western Atlantic from Canada to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. Records from the Mediterranean still lack verification. It inhabits areas with coral rubble, seagrass beds and offshore reefs, preferring depths above 50 m.

Boxfish are benthic feeders and will forage on seagrasses, crustaceans, mollusks, worms, tunicates and a variety of small benthic invertebrates. They are a popular food throughout the Caribbean, and a minor species in the aquarium trade.

Source: Wikipedia: Lactophrys trigonus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactophrys_trigonus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.