The longhorn cowfish, Lactoria cornuta, is a type of boxfish with four horn-like protrusions, two above its eyes and two at the rear end of the body below the tail.
This species is found in the Indo-Pacific, mostly in coastal areas and on coral reefs at a variety of depths. It is omnivorous with a broad diet ranging from invertebrates like worms and mollusks to algae and small fish.
Adults are solitary and can reach up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) in length. Coloring is the same in males and females.
Breeding takes place around sunset and the eggs are laid in the open water, hatching into pelagic larvae that settle on the reef.
Juvenile fish often associate with Acropora corals, and are also found in brackish water and near river mouths. They may form small groups.
The young fish slowly develop the four horns which may make them harder for predators to swallow. This species also has toxic flesh to deter predation.
In this video you can see adult longhorn cowfish grazing on fruit in an aquarium.
