Whitebarred Boxfish, Anoplocapros lenticularis (Richardson 1841)

Endemic to temperate waters of southern and western Australia from Western Port (Victoria) to Dongara (Western Australia), in depths of 4-250 m. 

Although individuals are occasionally observed by divers on offshore reefs and around jetty pylons, they are most frequently seen as by-catch in commercial trawl operations, especially in the Great Australian Bight.

Dorsal fin 9-11; Anal fin 10-11; Pectoral fin 12; Caudal fin 11.

Body enclosed in a bony carapace; two series of bony plates covered in rough tubercles around the caudal peduncle, anterior ring is incomplete laterally, posterior ring is continuous. Snout concave, eyes high on head, dorsal and ventral surfaces almost keel-like; males have a higher, more rounded dorsal profile than females.

Adult males are brownish-orange to red with several broad pale grey to whitish bands on each side, one from eye to lips, another from top of dorsal ridge to cheek, and a third along the posterior margin of the carapace. Juveniles and females are similar, but paler with additional black irregular lines on the dorsal half of body.

Although the flesh is not poisonous, a mucous toxin, ostracitoxin, is present in at least some boxfishes. If stressed, boxfish may secrete this poison from their skin. In aquaria, this toxin may kill other fishes, eventually including the boxfish itself if exposed long enough. The precise location of this toxin in various species is not fully understood, so boxfishes should be considered potentially toxic to humans and their consumption as food should be avoided.

Differs from the two other species in the genus Anoplocapros in having a concave dorsal profile of the head and snout and in colour. The body is orange to red, or reddish brown with irregular black lines (females and juveniles) or diagonal pale bands males.

Ostracion lenticularis Richardson, 1841, Proc. zool. Soc. Lond. 1841: 21. Type locality: Australia.

Dianne J. Bray