buffalo trunkfish
Lactophrys trigonus
A boxfish with a box-shaped body, from Caribbean reefs and seagrass to Brazil, accepted in sport fishing and prized as food.
Also called: ostracião, peixe-cofre, chapín búfalo, buffalo trunkfish
- maximum
- 55 cm
- record/max.
- 3.3 kg
- depth
- 2–50 m
who is the buffalo trunkfish
A fish of the family Ostraciidae, with a box-shaped body and a shell of hexagonal plates. It reaches 55 cm and up to 3.3 kg. It lives in seagrass, coral debris and reefs, down to 50 m deep, in subtropical waters. It eats small bottom invertebrates, such as mollusks, crustaceans, worms and tunicates, and also sea plants. It is caught both commercially and recreationally, and is highly prized as food in the Caribbean, but there are reports of ciguatera.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the buffalo trunkfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It is also sold as an aquarium fish.
identification
A box-shaped body with small, scattered white spots. Some hexagonal plates have dark borders and form chain-like marks, one near the pectoral region and another halfway between the gills and the end of the shell. Large adults lose the white spots and take on an irregular dark pattern. The honeycomb cowfish (Acanthostracion polygonium) has hexagons outlined over its whole body, not chain-like marks.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It occurs from the coast of Massachusetts, USA, to Brazil, with records from Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.
Habitat: Seagrass, coral debris and shallow reefs, down to 50 m.
coast
rules for the buffalo trunkfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
There are reports of ciguatera, a poisoning caused by a toxin that builds up in the flesh of reef fish. When in doubt, release the fish.
in the kitchen
Highly prized as food in the Caribbean, but there are reports of ciguatera: when in doubt, do not eat it.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.03715, b = 2.8; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Lactophrys trigonus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Lactophrys trigonusNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
