Family: |
Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes), subfamily: Acanthurinae |
Max. size: |
40 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 15 m |
Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: Maldives (Ref. 30829); then from the Andaman Sea (Ref. 9710) and Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean to the Philippines and the Line Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Samoa. |
Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-26; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 22-24. Brown in color when preserved; a black bar on upper edge of gill opening; head spotted; a less intense dark mark just behind the eye, connected narrowly with the dark bar; a dark brown region around the caudal spine; outer third of upper pectoral rays pale yellow. Large adults develop a distinctly convex head profile (Ref. 1602). Gill rakers on anterior row:19-23, on posterior row: 21-24.
Description: Characterized further by having caudal spine length of 2.5-3.2 in head length; greatest depth of body 2.0-2.2 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
Biology: |
Inhabits clear outer reef flats and seaward reefs (Ref. 9710). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Solitary or in small wide-ranging groups (Ref. 9710). Usually in schools of mixed similar species when grazing algae (Ref. 48637). |
IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 03 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
|
Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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