Where are Boxfish found?
Boxfish are found across tropical and sub-tropical areas of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. In India they are found in Lakshadweep, Gulf of Mannar, the Andamans and Nicobar Islands, but can also be found along other parts of the coast as well.
What is special about the boxfish?
Boxfish get their name from their box-like shape. They have hard mineralised hexagonal scales. This lowers the fish's mobility but provides a formidable defence against predators. They have a unique swimming method known as Ostraciiform swimming. They cannot move their bodies using their fins to move and steer. They have unstable hydrodynamics, allwoing them to make rapid sharp turns to avoid predators.
Do boxfish secrete poison?
Boxfish can secrete a poisonous colourless mucs when they feel stressed. It has unique water-soluble toxins which dissolve in the water around them and cause the breakdown of blood cells in the gills of nearby fish.
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