Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Brownish gray, yellowish nape, orange tail spines and anal fin; yellow-edged black area from mouth to eye, broad black band on dorsal fin.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Lagoon and outer reefs to 70m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Hawaii, Pitcaim Is. S.W. Japan to S. Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.
Showing posts with label Unicornfish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unicornfish. Show all posts
Orangespine Unicornfish
Bignose Unicornfish
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 50cm
Identification: Head shades of brown, body brown to blue or gray; blue lips and a blue band in front of eye, blue vertical lines and spots on sides; can rapidly pale or darken colors and markings.
Favourite: Groups feed in mid-water.
Hide-out: Along outer reef slopes in 4-50m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Micronesia, Polynesia and Galapagos. S.W. Japan to S. Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.
Spotted Unicornfish
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 50cm
Identification: Brown with dark spots on head and vertical rows of spots and lines on sides, white tail; a broad-based tapering horn on forehead.
Favourite: Usually form small groups.
Hide-out: Lagoon and seaward reefs in 4-46m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Galapagos Is. off Ecuador. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef and Lord Howe I.
Blackspine Unicornfish
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 19cm
Identification: Gray body pales on lower sides, blackish lips, tail spine and its basal plate black, pectoral and tail fins yellowish.
Favourite: Form small to large schools in mid-water.
Hide-out: Lagoons and outer reefs in 12-40m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - E. Africa to Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Great Barrier Reef.
Whitemargin Unicornfish
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 100cm
Identification: Olive to brown, but capable of rapid change to pale blue-gray, white lips, tail darkish with white fin rays; adults have long tapering horn on forehead.
Favourite: Form small schools.
Hide-out: Steep outer reef slopes in 20-60m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Indonesia, Micronesia, Hawaii and Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef and Lord Howe I.
Humpnose Unicornfish
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 60cm
Identification: Gray gradating to pale yellow on lower side; large bulbous snout, and hump on back.
Favourite: Often form small groups.
Hide-out: Seaward reefs in 3-20m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - E. Africa to Indonesia, Micronesia, Gilbert and Solomon Is. S.W. Japan to N. Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.
Slender Unicornfish
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 65cm
Identification: Slender body; bluish gray with numerous small round dark gray spots; occasionally displays a large whitish patch around pectoral fin.
Favourite: Form groups; feed on zooplankton.
Hide-out: Along steep outer reef drop-offs in 20-50m.
Location: East Indo-Asian Pacific - Andaman Sea to Papua New Guinea. Philippines to Great Barrier Reef.
Barred Unicornfish
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Pale gray; wide yellowish stripe from eye to tail, numerous dark bluish gray bars on sides, irregular spots on head.
Favourite: Form groups.
Hide-out: Lagoons and outer reefs in 2-30m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - E. Africa to Indonesia, Micronesia, Gilbert and Solomon Is. and N. Great Barrier Reef, north to S.W. Japan.
Gray Unicornfish
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 60cm
Identification: Gray to brownish gray, can rapidly change to pattern of indistinct round to vertically elliptical blotches on upper half of body; no horn and no dark margin on gill cover.
Favourite: Solitary or form aggregations.
Hide-out: Outer reefs in 6-60m.
Location: Pacific - Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia to Hawaii and Pitcaim Is. east of French Polynesia.
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