Amanzimtoti Beach’s puffed up fish mystery resolved

A MYSTERIOUS sea creature, which was initially thought to be a rare kind of pufferfish, was discovered along the Amanzimtoti coastline last week.

After consulting with South African Association for Marine Biological Research’s (SAAMBR) Ann Kunz, she revealed what this spiky and somewhat puffed up fish exactly was.

Frank Berry made the interesting find while walking on Amanzimtoti Main Beach.

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“It’s a spiny cowfish (lactoria diaphana) which is a genus of the box family,” explained Kunz.

“We identified it as a spiny cowfish mainly because of the three spines on its back, as against the longhorn cowfish, which has no spines on its back and a very different body shape. The other closely related cowfish has only one spine on its back. The spiny cowfish is relatively common along the KZN coast down to the Cape Aghulas. It’s a warm water species.”

Its puffed-up body gave many the idea that it was family to the pufferfish.

“It does look as though it is a pufferfish as we immediately identify the ‘inflated’ shape of the pufferfish. The spiny cowfish does not have an internal skeleton but bony scales covering its body. Its ‘inflated’ look is its permanent shape.”

The Sun echoes SAAMBR’s gratitude for those who share their marine finds with others, and encourages others to do so.

Beach strollers who happen upon such finds are urged to continue sharing in an effort to educate coastal-dwellers about the mystical creatures that call the KZN stretch of the Indian Ocean their home.

Email photos of your finds to hollyk@dbn.caxton.co.za.

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