HORNS BENEATH THE WAVES

❃ The longhorn cowfish (Lactoria cornuta) is one of the ocean’s most unusual-looking fish, instantly recognizable by the pair of horn-like projections extending above its eyes. Found throughout tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, this quirky relative of the pufferfish inhabits coral reefs, lagoons, and sandy seafloors. Its bright yellow coloration and scattered spots make its box-shaped body even harder to mistake for anything else.

❃ Instead of ordinary scales, the longhorn cowfish is protected by rigid, interlocking bony plates that form a tough shell around much of its body. Its protruding horns may make the fish more difficult for predators to swallow, while its small fins allow it to maneuver with surprising precision. Cowfish also possess another unusual defense: when severely stressed, they can release a toxic substance called ostracitoxin into the surrounding water.

❃ Longhorn cowfish spend much of their time searching the seafloor for small crustaceans, worms, mollusks, algae, and other foods, sometimes blowing jets of water into the sand to uncover hidden meals. With its peculiar horns, armored body, and almost hovering style of swimming, the longhorn cowfish is a wonderfully strange example of just how creative evolution can get beneath the waves.