| Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes), subfamily: Acanthurinae |
| 25 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
|
reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 90 m |
| Western Central Pacific: southern Japan, Yap, Guam, Pagan, Vanuatu, and Great Barrier Reef; widely in the central Pacific Ocean (except for the Hawaiian
Islands and Johnston Atoll). |
|
Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25-25; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 25-25; Vertebrae: 22-22. This species is characterized by the following: D IX,25; pectoral rays 16; gill rakers 25; teeth incisiform, denticulate, and close-set, with the distal end of upper teeth rounded with 12
upper and 14 lower teeth; body depth 1.9 in SL. Colouration: body light to dark brown with irregular, longitudinal, dotted stripes narrower than brown interspaces; suborbital and opercular region with stripes paralleling snout outline; rear base of dorsal and anal fins with a pupil-sized black blotch; dorsal and anal fins with bands paralleling outer edge (Ref. 138601).
Description: This species differs from A. nigrofasciatus by the following: presence of
the lines parallel to the snout on the suborbital and opercular regions (vs. spots on those regions in A. nigrofuscus); size of the black blotch at the rear base of the dorsal fin is larger in A. nigros; absence of a dark margin around the caudal-peduncle spine (vs. present ); posterior tips of the dorsal and anal fins less pointed when these fins are elevated (vs. more pointed); bands on the dorsal and anal fins more visible in preserved specimens (vs. less distinct) (Ref. 1920, 138601). |
| Inhabits clear lagoon and seaward reefs; often in areas with mixed coral, pavement, rubble and sand substrates (Ref. 1602). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Occurs singly or in small groups (Ref. 9710). Feeds on filamentous algae, diatoms and fine algal film of compacted sand (Ref. 1602). Relatively uncommon throughout Micronesia; rare on Great Barrier Reef. |
|
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
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