第 1376 号，共 1 402 张

Yellow boxfish

Ostracion cubicum

名字的由来： The genus name Ostracion means "little box", and the species name cubicum means "cubic", both referring to its box-like body.1

无害对人无害。不用担心。

其他有毒动物

皮肤里有毒吃：什么都来一点碰了或吃了有毒，不注射毒液

对人的危险: 轻微像被蜜蜂蜇一下或更轻。对人基本无害。

The yellow boxfish is a box-shaped fish with a hard, rigid body and bright yellow skin with black spots. It lives on coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and east Africa to Hawaii and northern New Zealand. It is special because it can release a toxic mucus when stressed, which harms other fish nearby.1

有毒还是有毒液？有毒液的动物通过咬或蜇注入毒液。有毒的动物是碰了或吃了会受害。这一种是碰了或吃了有害的。

生活在

Indo-Pacific reefs, from the Red Sea and east Africa to Hawaii, Japan and northern New Zealand; occasionally the eastern Mediterranean1

太平洋, 印度洋, 红海, 珊瑚海, 菲律宾海, 南海, 帝汶海和阿拉弗拉海, 孟加拉湾

首页

It lives on sheltered coastal and offshore coral reefs and on flat seabed, at depths of 1 to 75 metres. It is also kept in the aquarium trade.1

长度

45 cm (1.5 ft)1

最高速度

约 4 公里/小时（2.5 英里/小时）

游泳, 粗略估计

它吃什么？

It eats mainly bottom-dwelling animals and marine algae. Its diet can also include worms, sponges, crustaceans, molluscs and small fish.1

Yellow boxfish的照片 — Yellow boxfish。照片：Georgina Jones。 CC BY-SA 4.0, iNaturalist.

怎样认出它

Box-shaped body covered by a rigid, armoured shell called a carapace1
Young fish are bright yellow with black spots all over the body1
As it ages, the yellow fades and very old fish are blue-grey to black with faded yellow1
Usually found alone, as it is a solitary fish1

常被误认为： The spotted boxfish (Ostracion meleagris) has the same box shape and spots. The yellow boxfish is mainly bright yellow with dark spots, while the spotted boxfish is darker with white spots.1

毒力

皮肤里有毒

它的皮肤有毒。摸、舔或吃都很危险。

它的毒会造成什么？

When stressed, it secretes a toxic mucus containing a neurotoxin called ostracitoxin, which attacks the nerves. This toxin is highly harmful to marine fish: it breaks down their red blood cells, which then clump together. Nearby fish may be killed when they are exposed to it.1

它对人有多危险？

对人的危险: 轻微像被蜜蜂蜇一下或更轻。对人基本无害。

它害怕时会做什么？

When threatened, it releases toxic mucus, and its bright yellow and black colours warn predators to stay away.1

如果有人碰了或吃了它

如果有人吃了它，或吃后出现症状：立刻拨打急救电话或中毒急救中心。

一定先拨打你的急救电话（112、000、911）。这里是一般急救指导，不是医疗建议。急救基础

注意安全

永远不要摸、抓或逗弄野生动物，即使是很小的，即使它看起来在睡觉或已经死了。
给它留出空间。如果遇到它，保持冷静，慢慢后退，让它走自己的路。
如果你碰了或吃了它：不要揉眼睛或嘴巴，洗手并就医。

它不是冲着你来的。它的毒只是为了不被吃掉。更多安全知识

在世界哪里？

非洲亚洲欧洲北美洲南美洲澳大利亚和大洋洲太平洋印度洋红海珊瑚海南海菲律宾海帝汶海和阿拉弗拉海孟加拉湾

它有多大？

它有多长？

和 2.5 根香蕉首尾相接一样长和 14 块玩具积木排成一排一样长45 秒就能游完一个大泳池（50 米）

Yellow boxfish和你比起来有多大？

只是在你的浏览器里算一算。什么都不会被保存或发送到任何地方。

它有多快？

一个在游泳的人 约 3 公里/小时 (1.9 mph)

Yellow boxfish 约 4 公里/小时 (2.5 mph)

一名奥运游泳选手 约 8 公里/小时 (5 mph)

值得了解

事实

Engineers have studied boxfish to inspire designs for a concept car, bridge box girders and an airship.1

The carapace was once thought to help stability, but it was found to slightly increase drag and make the fish less stable.1

The fish can make humming and clicking sounds using the muscles of its swim bladder.1

The toxic mucus contains a bacterium, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which may play a role in the fish's defence.1

Juvenile fish are brighter yellow than adults, and this bright colour is thought to deter predators early in life.1

Boxfish are strong, swift swimmers despite their stiff, box-shaped bodies.1

谣言粉碎机

谣言： Boxfish are weak swimmers because of their boxy shape.

真相： Boxfish are surprisingly strong swimmers. Their shape creates swirling water patterns that help them steer through reefs and make sharp turns.1