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Humpback Boxfish
Anoplocapros lenticularis (Richardson, 1841)
A female Humpback Boxfish at a depth of 10 m, Kangaroo Island, South Australia, December, 2003. View larger image.
The Humpback Boxfish is encased in a rigid bony carapace. It has a deep body with keel-like ridges on the upper and lower margins. The eyes are small and placed high on the head. The snout is concave.
Males and females look different. Females and juveniles are orange with black and white blotches and lines. Males are bright orange with distinct white bands. One band passes from the eye to the mouth. A second band passes from the top of the hump on the fish's back, in front of the pectoral fin and back towards the belly. A third band crosses the body in front of the dorsal and anal fins. A fourth band encircles the caudal peduncle.
This species grows to 20 cm in length.
The Humpback Boxfish occurs on rocky reefs in temperate marine waters of southern Australia from southern Victoria to south-western Western Australia. It is usually found in depths from 10 m to 40 m.
This species is also known as the High-backed Boxfish, Humpty-dumpty, Smooth Boxfish and White-barred Boxfish.
Related links
- Eastern Smooth Boxfish fact sheet
- View the Boxfish list
Further reading
- 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.
