Series Plectognathi 



417 



length, so far as known. They are not poisonous, and are 

 often baked in the shell. Three genera are recognized: Lac- 

 tophrys with the carapace, three-angled; Os- 

 tracion with four angles, and Aracana, resem- 

 bling Ostracion, but with the carapace not 

 closed behind the anal fin. In each of these 

 genera there is considerable minor variation 

 due to the presence or absence of spines on 

 the bony shell. In some species, called cuck- 

 olds, or cowfishes, long horns are developed 

 over the eye. Others have spines on some 

 other part of the shield and some have no FIG. 352. Spotted 

 spines at all. No species are found in *%*&,$ 

 Europe, and none on the Pacific coast of b icaudalis (Lin- 

 America. The three-angled species, called 

 Lactophrys, are native chiefly to^ the West Indies, sometimes 

 carried by currents to Guinea, and one is described from 

 Australia. Lactophrys tricornis of the West Indies has long 



FIG. 353. Spineless Trunkfish, Laclophrys triqueter (Linnaeus). Tortugas. 



horns over the eye; Lactophrys trigonus has spines on the lower 

 parts only. Lactophrys triqueter is without spines, and the 

 fourth American species, Lactophrys bicaudalis, is marked by 

 large black spots. The species of Ostracion radiate from the 

 East Indies. One of them, Ostracion gibbosum, has a turret- 

 like spine on the middle of the back, causing the carapace to 

 appear five-angled; Ostracion diaphanum has short horns over 

 the eye, and Ostracion cornutum very long ones; Ostracion 

 ii 27 



