Sealife guideThe scrawled cowfishAcanthostracion quadricornis

Last updated on 03/01/2024 at 07:52 PM
Taxonomy
Description
The scrawled cowfish has a body with very angular shapes, giving it the appearance of a box and earning it the name boxfish. Moreover, its body is covered with bony plates that provide to him a protection. The presence of two horn-like protrusions on the upper part of its head gives it a silhouette reminiscent of a bull.
The scrawled cowfish displays characteristic disordered bluish spots and stripes resembling graffiti!
The scrawled cowfish displays characteristic disordered bluish spots and stripes resembling graffiti!
The dominant color of the scrawled cowfish is yellowish with characteristic disordered and irregular bluish spots and stripes resembling graffiti !
The scrawled cowfish typically measures around twenty centimeters in length on average but can reach up to fifty centimeters for the largest specimens.
Geographic range
The scrawled cowfish is found in the tropical waters of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea around many Caribbean islands such as Guadeloupe or Martinique, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico.
Habitat
The scrawled cowfish frequents the coral reefs around the numerous islands of the Caribbean Sea and the coasts of Florida.
Diet
The scrawled cowfish feeds mainly on small marine invertebrates.
The scrawled cowfish (Acanthostracion quadricornis)
The scrawled cowfish (Acanthostracion quadricornis)
Did you know ?
The scrawled cowfish is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The scrawled cowfish appears in the IUCN Red List since 2015 within the category Least Concern !
Tips for observing
Be careful not to confuse the scrawled cowfish with the honeycomb cowfish, which has very regular hexagonal patterns similar to the cells of a beehive.
The scrawled cowfish (Acanthostracion quadricornis)
The scrawled cowfish (Acanthostracion quadricornis)
Within the same genus
Honeycomb cowfish (Acanthostracion polygonium)
Honeycomb cowfish
(Acanthostracion polygonium)
Within the same family
Reticulate boxfish (Ostracion solorensis)
Reticulate boxfish
(Ostracion solorensis)
Smooth trunkfish (Rhinesomus triqueter)
Smooth trunkfish
(Rhinesomus triqueter)
Spotted boxfish (Ostracion meleagris)
Spotted boxfish
(Ostracion meleagris)
Spotted trunkfish (Lactophrys bicaudalis)
Spotted trunkfish
(Lactophrys bicaudalis)
Thornback cowfish (Lactoria fornasini)
Thornback cowfish
(Lactoria fornasini)
Yellow boxfish (Ostracion cubicus)
Yellow boxfish
(Ostracion cubicus)
Discover also
Bluestreak goby (Valenciennea strigata)
Bluestreak goby
(Valenciennea strigata)
Flame angelfish (Centropyge loriculus)
Flame angelfish
(Centropyge loriculus)
Golden trevally (Gnathanodon speciosus)
Golden trevally
(Gnathanodon speciosus)
Grey moray (Gymnothorax griseus)
Grey moray
(Gymnothorax griseus)
Island grouper (Mycteroperca fusca)
Island grouper
(Mycteroperca fusca)
Striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus)
Striated frogfish
(Antennarius striatus)
Tomato grouper (Cephalopholis sonnerati)
Tomato grouper
(Cephalopholis sonnerati)
Yellowhead jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons)
Yellowhead jawfish
(Opistognathus aurifrons)
The marine species from Caribbean sea
Foureye butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus)
Foureye butterflyfish
(Chaetodon capistratus)
Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus)
Nassau grouper
(Epinephelus striatus)
Princess parrotfish (Scarus taeniopterus)
Princess parrotfish
(Scarus taeniopterus)
Queen angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris)
Queen angelfish
(Holacanthus ciliaris)
Red grouper (Epinephelus morio)
Red grouper
(Epinephelus morio)
Short bigeye (Pristigenys alta)
Short bigeye
(Pristigenys alta)
Staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis)
Staghorn coral
(Acropora cervicornis)
Stoplight parrotfish (Sparisoma viride)
Stoplight parrotfish
(Sparisoma viride)
Dive centers
Centre de plongée des Ilets
'Les Ilets' dive center
Noa Plongée
Noa dive center
Vous abonnez !

Our latestUpdates

The common sea fan
Friday, November 7th 2025
The common sea fan
The common sea fan, is a type of soft coral found in the warm, shallow waters of the Caribbean and the western Atlantic ocean. It grows in wide, fan-shaped forms that sway gently with the ocean currents, helping it catch tiny food particles drifting by. Its beautiful purple branches are covered by a thin living tissue that hosts tiny algae, which provide much of the coral's energy through sunlight.
The leopard blenny
Thursday, October 30th 2025
The leopard blenny
The leopard blenny is a small reef fish from the Indo-Pacific ocean. It is easily recognized by its spotted coloration, which resembles that of a leopard. It lives on shallow coral reefs, feeds mainly on algae and polyps and skillfully camouflages among the corals to avoid predators.
The Spanish slipper lobster
Monday, October 27th 2025
The Spanish slipper lobster
The Spanish slipper lobster is a colorful crustacean found around reefs in the tropical waters of the northwestern Atlantic. Its flattened body and distinctive antennae allow it to hide in crevices during the day and emerge at night to feed on benthic invertebrates.
Photo of the Day
Aiguillat commun (Squalus acanthias)
Aiguillat commun
(Squalus acanthias)