Acanthurus maculiceps (Ahl, 1923)
White-freckled surgeonfish
photo by Randall, J.E.

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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