Aracana aurita

Ostraciidae
Shaws Cowfish
  • Aracana aurita, Female, De Witt Is, TAS, Photo: Ian Shaw
    Aracana aurita, Female, De Witt Is, TAS, Photo: Ian Shaw
  • Aracana aurita, Male, Hobart, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
    Aracana aurita, Male, Hobart, TAS, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
  • Aracana aurita, Juvenile, Bathurst Harbour, TAS, Photo: Graham Edgar
    Aracana aurita, Juvenile, Bathurst Harbour, TAS, Photo: Graham Edgar
  • Aracana aurita, Transitioning to male. Canal Rocks, WA, Photo: Graham Edgar
    Aracana aurita, Transitioning to male. Canal Rocks, WA, Photo: Graham Edgar
  • Aracana aurita, Female. Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
    Aracana aurita, Female. Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
  • Aracana aurita, Port Gregory, WA, Photo: Andrew Green
    Aracana aurita, Port Gregory, WA, Photo: Andrew Green
  • Aracana aurita, Female. Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
    Aracana aurita, Female. Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
  • Aracana aurita, Male, Tasman Peninsula, TAS, Photo: Antonia Cooper
    Aracana aurita, Male, Tasman Peninsula, TAS, Photo: Antonia Cooper
  • Aracana aurita, Transitioning to male. DeWitt Island, TAS, Photo: Graham Edgar
    Aracana aurita, Transitioning to male. DeWitt Island, TAS, Photo: Graham Edgar
Distribution
Temperate Australasia
Description
Females and males differ distinctly in markings, both potentially confused with A. ornata, which has longer spines above the eyes and a more intricate pattern on the body. Females have a pattern of scribbled orange, black and white markings over the body, and the less common males have a distinctive arrangement of yellow, blue and white dots and stripes.
Information
  • Max Size: 20 cm
  • Sea Temperature Range: 10.1-23.3°C
  • Depth: 10 - 200 m
  • Habitat: Rocky Reef, Seagrass
  • Habitat Generalisation Index: 3.5
    Also referred to as the SGI (Species generalisation index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here
Rarity
  • IUCN Threat Status: Not Evaluated
  • Occurrence: Frequent (18% of sites)
    Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
  • Abundance: Solitary (1 per transect)
    Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: GJ Edgar. 2008. Australian Marine Life. New Holland, Sydney
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