Genus: Lactophrys, Trunkfish Boxfish, Trunkfishes

LACTOPHRYS

TRUNKFISHES

Body oblong, thick, enclosed in a bony box formed by thickened, joined, enlarged scale plates that are usually hexagonal in shape; carapace has openings for mouth, eyes, gill slits and fins and tail, completely surrounds base of anal fin, either closed behind dorsal fin or open, if open has an isolated oval plate behind that opening, without spines at eyes, with or without a pair of spines at lower rear corner, last plates above and below tail base usually not prolonged as spines; mouth small, at front, lips fleshy; teeth moderate, conical, usually <15 per jaw; gill openings short, oblique slits in front of pectoral bases; no spiny dorsal, soft dorsal and anal fins at rear of carapace; no pelvic fins; tail base slender, flexible, tail fin a fan with a rounded end; dorsal, anal and pectoral fin rays branched; lateral line inconspicuous.

A W Atlantic genus with 3 species; all in our area.