Shaw's Cowfish
Shaw’s Cowfish is a temperate boxfish. Its body is enclosed in a rigid, bony shell. Males and females look very different. Males are brightly patterned with blue, while females are striped brown and white. It is often seen near seagrass and rocky reefs.
Shaws Cowfish
Painted Boxfish
Aracana aurita
Aracanidae
Shaw's Cowfish has a box shaped body, defined lips with a dark teal base colour and aqua lines and fins on the top of the body.
Up to 20-25cm
The defined and vibrant stripes and lines all around their body.
The Shaw's Cowfish body is enclosed in a rigid, bony shell which means it can't bend like most fish. Instead, it moves by fanning its tiny fins.
Rocky reefs and seagrass beds in sheltered bays, harbours and coastal waters.
Small marine bugs, algae and invertebrates.
Shaw's Cowfish exist all over the Great Southern Reef.
Frequently asked questions about the Shaw's Cowfish
What does the Shaw's Cowfish eat?
Small marine bugs, algae and invertebrates.
Where can I see the Shaw's Cowfish in Tasmania?
Shaw's Cowfish exist all over the Great Southern Reef.
Is the Shaw's Cowfish endangered?
What does the Shaw's Cowfish look like?
The defined and vibrant stripes and lines all around their body.
Where does the Shaw's Cowfish live?
Rocky reefs and seagrass beds in sheltered bays, harbours and coastal waters.
You might like...
Weedy Seadragon
Photo: Damian Brockie. Weedy seadragons belong to the same family as seahorses and pipefishes, but unlike seahorses, they cannot grip with their tails, so they hover and drift, steering with tiny, almost invisible fins.
Nudibranch
Nudibranchs are molluscs that lose their shell after the larval stage. There are more than 3,000 species worldwide, and more than 400 occur in south-eastern Australia.
Newsletter
Sign up to keep in touch with articles, updates, events or news from Kuno, your platform for nature