Teleostei (teleosts) >
Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes) >
Ostraciidae (Boxfishes)
Etymology: Lactophrys: Latin, concerned with milk + Greek, ophrys = eyebrow (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Issue
Matsuura (2003: Ref. 53032) places this species in the genus Rhinesomus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 50 m (Ref. 11227). Subtropical; 32°N - 35°S, 99°W - 14°W
Western Atlantic: Florida (USA), Bahamas, and southern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Ascension Island (Ref. 3696).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 48.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)
Whitish with numerous small black spots on carapace, caudal peduncle and caudal fin; lips whitish; bases of dorsal, anal and pectoral fins blackish; large adults with black spots missing from three small areas in a diagonal row anteriorly on body at level of eye, appearing as three white spots (Ref. 13442).
Body shape (shape guide): short and / or deep.
Found in clear water around coral reefs. Sometimes under ledges and near small holes (Ref. 9710). Feeds on a variety of small bottom invertebrates such as mollusks, crustaceans, starfishes, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, sessile tunicates, sea grasses (Ref. 3696), algae, crabs and brittle stars (Ref. 13442). Toxins released when excited kills other fishes (Ref. 5521). Probably marketed fresh locally (Ref. 3696).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30911)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
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