Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes) > Acanthurinae
Etymology: Acanthurus: Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335). More on author: Bloch, Schneider.

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 40 m (Ref. 7345), usually 2 - 18 m (Ref. 27115). Tropical; 24°C - 26°C (Ref. 27115); 42°N - 15°S, 100°W - 4°W (Ref. 55165)

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ?, range 13 - ? cm
Max length : 39.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 36453); common length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26-28; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 24 - 26. A deep-bodied surgeonfish (body depth 1.7 in SL) with a conspicuous yellow caudal spine. Has the most distinctive coloration of all western Atlantic surgeonfishes (Ref. 26938).

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Atlantic: New York, USA and Bermuda to the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Ascension Island (Ref. 7345).

Inhabits coral reefs, inshore grassy or rocky areas. Forms small groups (Ref. 26235). Mainly diurnal. Feeds entirely on algae (Ref. 5521). At Fernando de Noronha Archipelago in southwestern Atlantic, juveniles hold cleaning stations together with the doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) and sergeant major (Abudefduf saxatilis) and graze algae as well as pick molted skin and parasites from green turtles (Chelonia mydas). This behavior is preceded by a characteristic inspection usually followed by feeding nips on the turtles’ skin (head, limbs, and tail), as well as on the carapace. The most inspected and cleaned body parts are the flippers (Ref. 51385). The spine on both sides of the caudal peduncle may inflict painful wounds (Ref. 5217). Marketed fresh.

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Randall, John E. | Collaborators

Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)

Least Concern (LC)

Threat to humans

Traumatogenic (Ref. 4690)

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial; bait: occasionally

FAO(Publication : search) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02531 (-0.08052 - 0.13115), b=2.96 (2.89 - 3.03), based on LWR estimates for species & genus-BS (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 2.0 ±0.0 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.11-0.50).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High vulnerability (59 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Acanthurus coeruleus Bloch & Schneider, 1801