Aracana ornata (Gray, 1838)

Common Name and Carapace

Aracana ornata, commonly called the ornate cowfish, has a body covered by a stiff, armoured carapace made of large, sculptured bony plates. It also has bony ridges that bear large recurved spines, and a convex snout.

Fin Placement

Its dorsal and anal fins are positioned opposite each other, close to the caudal peduncle, which either has no bony plates or only reduced bony plates.

Male Coloration

Males have blue and orange stripes, spots, and reticulated markings; their yellowish-orange caudal fin is patterned with blue lines.

Female Coloration

Females are dark brown with wavy white or yellowish-white stripes, which can form circles on their back. The lower body of females ranges from yellow to vivid orange.

Fin Ray Counts

The dorsal fin has 10 or 11 soft rays, the anal fin has 10 soft rays, the pectoral fin has 10 soft rays, and the caudal fin has 11 soft rays.

Maximum Size

This species reaches a maximum published total length of 15 cm (5.9 in).

Distribution Range

Aracana ornata is endemic to the temperate coastal waters of Australia, ranging from Merimbula in New South Wales west to Esperance on the southern coast of Western Australia.

Depth and Habitat

It occurs at depths down to 15 m (49 ft), living in seagrass beds within sheltered bays, harbours, and other sheltered coastal waters.