Where is the animal to be found?
It lives on the sandy and detrital bottoms of shallow sheltered lagoons, in coral reefs and seaweed meadows down to a depth of 50 metres. Juveniles prefer brackish water areas such as the mouths of rivers and lagoons.
How can it be recognised?
Its body is enclosed in a carapace made of bony plates. It is covered by its bright yellow skin that secretes a toxic substance. This protects it from predators. The toxins of this family of fish are studied in medical research.
Furthermore, it has a pair of horns on its head that point forwards, and an identical pair under its tail fin that point backwards. It measures 46 cm on average.
What is distinctive about it?
The longhorn cowfish is oviparous. They live in harems for breeding and lay eggs in the open water at dusk.
