Photo 58123213, (c) Warwick Moyse, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Warwick Moyse

Attribution © Warwick Moyse
some rights reserved
Uploaded by wamoz wamoz
Source iNaturalist
Associated observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Shaw's Cowfish (Aracana aurita)

Observer

wamoz

Date

December 17, 2019 05:59 PM ACDT

Description

ID based on previous guidance from @rfoster as follows -
"... the lines across the snout and under the eye. In the ornate cowfish they are generally more tightly packed and, importantly, they run obliquely downwards from the snout. Shaw’s usually has fewer, wider lines between eye and mouth that tend to be more or less horizontal.
If you can examine the caudal peduncle (tail base) the degree of ‘armour’ is a good guide – ornata has its tail base almost enclosed by bony plates whereas these plates are rudimentary in aurita (Shaw’s)."

Sizes