ific ▁from ▁East ▁Africa ▁to ▁the ▁Bass ▁Islands ▁( F rench ▁Pol yn esia ). ▁It ▁can ▁grow ▁to ▁a ▁maximum ▁length ▁of ▁. ▁It ▁is ▁an ▁un common ▁fish ▁that ▁fe eds ▁on ▁small ▁in verte br ates ▁that ▁it ▁pick s ▁up ▁off ▁the ▁sea ▁bed . ▁ ▁The ▁specific ▁ep ith et ▁for nas ini ▁is ▁in ▁honour ▁of ▁Italian ▁amateur ▁natural ist ▁Carlo ▁Antonio ▁For nas ini , ▁who ▁worked ▁in ▁Moz amb ique . ▁ ▁Description ▁Like ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁family ▁O stra ci idae , ▁the ▁th orn back ▁cow fish ▁has ▁hex ag onal , ▁plate - like ▁scales ▁which ▁are ▁f used ▁together ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁solid , ▁box - like ▁car ap ace , ▁from ▁which ▁the ▁eyes , ▁mouth , ▁fins ▁and ▁tail ▁pro tr ude . ▁The ▁mouth ▁is ▁small ▁and ▁has ▁pro tr ud ing ▁lips , ▁the ▁upper ▁profile ▁of ▁the ▁sn out ▁is ▁straight , ▁the ▁back ▁is ▁somewhat ▁convex , ▁the ▁fl anks ▁are ▁con ca ve ▁and ▁the ▁bel ly ▁rounded , ▁causing ▁the ▁fish ▁to ▁res emble ▁a ▁pur se . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁small ▁pre - oc ular ▁sp ines ▁on ▁either ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁head , ▁a ▁large ▁sp ine ▁projects ▁from ▁the ▁d ors al ▁r idge ▁and ▁a ▁further ▁moder ate - s ized ▁sp ine ▁projects ▁from ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁pel vic ▁rid ges ▁near ▁the ▁anal ▁fin . ▁Ne ither ▁the ▁d ors al ▁fin ▁nor ▁the ▁anal ▁fin