Find a Fish
Eastern Smooth Boxfish
Anoplocapros inermis (Fraser-Brunner, 1935)
Above and below: Eastern Smooth Boxfish at a depth of 9 m, Oak Park, Sydney, New South Wales, August 1998. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
A juvenile Eastern Smooth Boxfish at a depth of 17 m, Split Solitary Island, New South Wales, May 2003. Photo © I. Shaw. View larger image. View another image of a fish from Kurnell, New South Wales.
An Eastern Smooth Boxfish washed up on the beach, Seven Mile Beach National Park, south of Gerroa, New South Wales, March 2008. Photo © M. Joyce. View larger image
The Eastern Smooth Boxfish has a hard carapace that is covered with a pattern of triangles and low bumps. Adults have a strong ridge along the dorsal and ventral midlines. There are weaker ridges passing over the eyes and under the pectoral fins. Juveniles are nearly spherical.
This species has eyes high on the head and its dorsal and anal fins positioned posteriorly and opposite each other.
The colouration of the Eastern Smooth Boxfish changes with growth. Tiny juveniles are totally yellow. As the fish ages it develops brown spots. Large males are blue with golden sides.
The Eastern Smooth Boxfish grows to 35 cm in length.
It is known from depths of 10 m to 300 m in coastal reefs and harbours. It is recorded from southern Queensland to Bass Strait.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Eastern Smooth Boxfish are commonly washed up on sandy beaches in south eastern Australia (see lower image). Beach walkers often see dried fish while walking along the high tide line.
Related links
- Humpback Boxfish fact sheet
- Roundbelly Cowfish fact sheet
- Thorny-back Cowfish fact sheet
- Yellow Boxfish fact sheet
- View the Boxfishes list
- View the Family Ostraciidae list
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- Kuiter, R.H. in Gomon, M..F, Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
