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COFRES O CHAPINES
BOXFISH OR TRUNKFISH
BOXFISH OR TRUNKFISH
| Photos and text by David Nuñez |
| Esta familia incluye más de 30 especies, 5 de ellas en el Caribe. A aquellos con “cuernos” sobre los ojos también se les conoce como Pez Vaca o Torito. Son peces territoriales que se alimentan de algas, corales blandos, anémonas y pequeños crustaceos y moluscos. Puede vérseles disparando chorros de agua en la arena para descubrir su presa. La identificación de especies se complica por su habilidad de cambiar colores de acuerdo con su entorno. Algunas especies difieren tan solo en la presencia de ciertas espinas. Localmente alcanzan tamaños de 40-50 cm. |
| The Boxfish Family includes over 30 members worldwide, with 5 found in the Caribbean. Those with “horns” over their eyes are also known as Cowfish. They are territorial and feed on algae, soft corals, anemones and small crustaceans and mollusks. They are often seen squirting water into sand to stir up food. Identification of particular species can be complicated by an ability to fade or darken to blend in with its surroundings. In some cases the difference between species lays not in their coloration or patterns, but rather on the presence or absence of particular spines. Local species on average reach a maximum length of 40-50 cm. |
