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Cubicus Boxfish
It was during one of our unplanned dives on Hopscotch, which is a 25m deep reef spot, situated on the 2-mile reef in Sodwana Bay, the Isimangaliso Wetland Park South Africa that I saw a blue and grey boxfish, which I instantly became fixated with.
During one of my research projects, I found out some interesting facts about these introverted species.
How to spot the differences:
- Juveniles are brilliant yellow with a cubic-like body.
- Adult males are bluish-grey with blue fins and numerous black-edged, white blue spots on carapace, with tiny black spots covering the body.
- Adult females vary from yellow to ochre to purplish-brown, with round black-edged, blue spots on the carapace.
They are endemic to the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean as well as the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean. When distressed or injured, they release the neurotoxin tetrodoxin from their skin that may prove lethal to the fish in the surrounding waters. The bright yellow colour and black spots are a form of warning coloration (Aposematism) to any potential predators.
Cubicus boxfish usually referred to, as just a “boxfish” is a type of species of boxfish. They are, known for their armoured and rigid body that in most cases would inhibit locomotion. This disadvantage is offset by the boxfish’s carapace shape, which is much more advantageous for its evolved style of swimming- ostaciiform locomotion.
The fish’s diet consists of marine algae, worms, crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish and they can grow up to a maximum length of 45 centimetres (18 in). They are solitary animals, breeding occurs during the spring, in small groups that consist of one male and two – four females.
Fun Facts:
In 2006, Mercedes-Benz unveiled its Bionic concept car, which was inspired by the shape of the yellow boxfish. It was speculated that due to the extreme agility with which boxfish manoeuvre, that their shape was aerodynamic and self-stabilizing.
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