Aracana was first proposed as a monotypic subgenus of Ostracion in 1838 by the British zoologist John Edward Gray with O. auritus as its only species.

[1] O. auritus was first described in 1798 by George Shaw with its type locality given as the "Islands of the Pacific", probably a reference to Tasmania.

[2] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies this genus in the family Aracanidae which is in the suborder Ostracioidea within the order Tetraodontiformes.

[4] There are currently 2 recognized species in this genus:[5][6] Aracana cowfishes have short, deep, robust bodies that are almost completely enclosed in a carapace made up of large, thickened, bony plate-like scales.

[6] They are found in sheltered coastal waters, on rock reefs and sea grass beds.