Home › Volumes › Fishes › The Trunk-fishes
Trunk-fishes
Images coming soon.
THESE fishes may at once be known by the short, cuboid, triquetous or pentagonal body, covered by a carapace formed of firmly united polygonal bony patches, the jaws, bases of the fins, and the caudal peduncle being the only parts free and covered with smooth skin.
The locomotion of the trunk-fishes is very peculiar. The propelling force is exerted by the dorsal and anal fins, which have a half-rotary, half-sculling motion, resembling that of a screw propeller; the caudal fin acts as a rudder, save when it is needed for unusually rapid swimming, when it is used as in other fishes. The chief function of the broad pectorals seems to be that of forming a current of water through the gills, thus aiding in respiration, which would otherwise be difficult on account of the narrowness and inflexibility of the branchial apertures. When taken from the water one of these fishes will live for 2 or 3 hours, all the time solemnly fanning its gills, and when restored to its native element seems none the worse for its experience, except that, on account of the absorbed air, it cannot at once sink to the bottom (Goode).
The family contains one genus, Ostracion, with 4 American species which may be distinguished as follows:
aa. Carapace with distinct spines, at least on the ventral ridges behind.
c. Carapace closed behind the dorsal fin; body everywhere with round dark spots; .....bicaudalis
cc. Carapace open behind the dorsal fin; body mottled with paler; ......... trigonus
bb. Frontal region with 2 strong spines like horns; ....tricornis
These fish are all sluggish in their habits, living in shallow water at the bottom about reefs and feeding upon minute animal and plant forms. All 4 of the species occur among the West Indies. They are known variously as trunk-fish, chapin, rock shell-fish, plate-fish, cow-fish, and the like. O. triqueter is found north to Pensacola, Key West and Bermuda, and is generally abundant. O. bicaudalis is a large species, reaching 16 inches in length, and is common among the West Indies, but has not yet been recorded from Florida. O. trigonus is the common trunk-fish, very abundant among the West Indies, and extending its range to Woods Hole and Chesapeake Bay. O. tricornis is the common cowfish. Its range extends from Brazil to Charleston, Pensacola, the Chesapeake and, in the Gulf Stream, to Woods Hole. It is even found also on the African Coast. Though these fishes are rarely seen in the markets they are all excellent food-fishes, the flesh being delicate and possessing an unusually pleasant flavour. A common method of preparing these fish is first to boil them in salt water, then clean out the meat and, after mixing it with cracker crumbs, egg, butter, and pepper (red preferred), replace it in the shell and bake until nicely browned.