Yellow boxfish
Ostracion cubicus
- Scientific name
- Ostracion cubicus
- Group
- Reef fish
- Rarity
- Common
- Where to see it
- Indo-Pacific & Red Sea
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Least concern
Did you know?
The yellow boxfish's body is encased in a nearly rigid armor of hexagonal bony plates, which limits it to slow, jerky swimming. When stressed, it can secrete a toxin through its skin that poisons the surrounding water — even hazardous to itself in an enclosed aquarium.
What defines this group — Reef fish
The bony fish that live against coral and rock: the living backdrop of almost every dive.
- A bony skeleton, scales, and a rigid gill cover closing over the gills.
- A swim bladder acts as a float: they hold their depth without swimming.
- Many change colour, pattern — sometimes even sex — over the course of their life.
Other species in this group
- Ocellaris clownfish
- Blue tang
- Red lionfish
- Spot-fin porcupinefish
- Mediterranean moray
- Clark's anemonefish