| Family: |
Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes), subfamily: Acanthurinae |
| Max. size: |
16 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 45 m, |
| Distribution: |
Western Central Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, northern Great Barrier Reef, Solomon Islands, Palau, Vanuatu and Fiji. Recently recorded from Tonga (Ref. 53797). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-25; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 22-23. Margins of lips papillate. Only species of Ctenochaetus with angular dorsal and anal fins. Caudal fin of juveniles forked, of adults lunate. Gill rakers on anterior row 20-21, on posterior row 20. Outer soft portion of dorsal and anal fins orange (pale in preservative). Caudal fin white. Edge of lips crenulate. Upper teeth with 2 or 3 denticulations (not including tip). Anterior gill rakers 19-23 (Ref 42056). |
| Biology: |
Occurs singly or in small groups along steep coral-rich drop-offs of sheltered coasts (Ref. 48637). Feeds on algae and microfauna living in between the algae (Ref. 89999). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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