Yellow Boxfishミナミハコフグ

Species Data

Classification

Tetraodontiformes / Ostraciidae Source

Size

Body length up to 45 cm

Diet

Omnivore Feeds mainly on benthic organisms and seaweed, and also eats worms such as polychaetes, sponges, crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish

Distribution

Widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa to South Africa, Hawaii, Japan, and northern New Zealand, found on coastal and offshore reefs and flat seabeds at depths of 1-75 m. Source

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

• When stressed, it can secrete a mucus containing the neurotoxin pahutoxin, which in a confined aquarium can be lethal to tankmates. Source
• Its boxy, hydrodynamically efficient body shape has inspired engineering design, including a 2006 Mercedes-Benz concept car modeled on the fish, as well as applications in box-girder bridge and airship design. Source

Verified individual animals and facilities will be added as official information becomes available.

FAQ

Is the yellow boxfish poisonous?

When stressed, it can release a toxic mucus (pahutoxin) that is dangerous to other fish sharing its tank, which is why aquarists keep it carefully. Source

Why does the yellow boxfish have a box-shaped body?

Its rigid, hexagonal-plated carapace protects it from predators; the shape has also proven so hydrodynamically efficient that engineers have referenced it in car and vehicle design. Source

Where is the yellow boxfish found?

It ranges across the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa to Hawaii, Japan, and northern New Zealand, typically on reefs at depths of 1-75 m. Source

How many operating facilities are registered here?

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 0 Source

Books & gear

• Yellow Boxfish book
• binoculars