Kentrocapros combines kentro meaning "thorn" or "spine", a reference to the spiny ridge along the flanks of the type species, with capros, meaning "wild boar". This may allude to these fishes being known as seapigs in the 19th Century, probably an allusion to the resmeblance of these fishes on a rear view to a pig.[4]
Species
Kentrocapros currently has six recognised species within it:[5]
In the paper describing K. flavimaculatus Keiichi Matsuura states that the holotype of K. eco is in too poor condition to correctly identfy it to species and that this taxon should be regarded as a nomen dubium.[6]
Characteristics
Kentrocarpos deepwater boxfishes are distinguished from other genera in the family Aracanidae by having a hexagonal cross section to the body with the carapce having six longitudinal ridges, three on each side of the fish, one on the lower body, one in the middle of the side and one on the upper body.[6] There are 9 branched rays in the caudal fin.[7] These are small fishes with the largest species being K. flavofasciatus which has a maximum published standard length of 14.6 cm (5.7 in) while the smallest is K. spilonota with a maximum published standard length of 10.4 cm (4.1 in).[5]
Distribution and habitat
Kentrocarpos deepwater boxfishes are found in the Indo-West Pacific where they occur in temperate and tropical waters at depths between 5 and 300 m (16 and 984 ft).[7]
^ abcKeiichi Matsuura (2023). "A New Boxfish of the Genus Kentrocapros Collected from New Zealand (Acanthopterygii, Tetraodontiformes, Aracanidae)". Bulletin of the National Museum of Nature and Science, Series A. 49 (4): 191โ196. doi:10.50826/bnmnszool.49.4_191.