Acanthurus monroviae Steindachner, 1876
Monrovia doctorfish
Acanthurus monroviae
photo by Pinheiro, P.

Family:  Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes), subfamily: Acanthurinae
Max. size:  45 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 5 - 200 m
Distribution:  Eastern Atlantic: from the coasts of Morocco to Angola (Ref. 3149); including Cape Verde archipelagos and the Canaries. Also recorded from southern Spain, Tunisia, Algeria, Israel and Greece (Ref. 112505).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-26; Anal spines: 6-6; Anal soft rays: 24-26. Caudal peduncle spine surrounded by a bright orange-yellow spot.
Biology:  Coastal species found in the mouth of rivers and lagoons (Ref. 7345). Found on rocky and coral bottoms (Ref. 2683). Feeds on zooplankton, phytoplankton and detritus (Ref. 28587). Minimum depth reported from Ref. 27115.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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