Description
The longhorn cowfish (Lactoria cornuta) is a ray-finned fish in the Ostraciidae family. Its scientific name, Ostracion cornutus, was published by Linnaeus in 1758. This fish, which can grow up to 46 cm long, has a hard exoskeleton composed of fused bony scales. It has a horn-shaped projection above each eye and two long spines on either side of the anal fin. The dorsal fin is positioned far back, just in front of the caudal peduncle. The body is yellow with light blue spots. The tail is bluish and largely transparent. Its diet consists of bottom-dwelling invertebrates, which it stirs up from the sand in targeted jets of water. The fish inhabits the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Red Sea to a depth of 100 m, usually no deeper than 50 m. It is a coastal fish, found in salty to brackish water over muddy and sandy bottoms near rocks and reefs. Also in ports and estuaries.
