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Acanthuriformes (Surgeonfishes) >
Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes) > Acanthurinae
Etymology: Ctenochaetus: Greek, kteis, ktenos = comb + Greek, chaite = hair (Ref. 45335); cyanocheilus: Named for its blue lips (Greek 'cyano' for blue and 'cheilos' for lip).
More on authors: Randall & Clements.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 60 m (Ref. 90102), usually 7 - 15 m (Ref. 48637). Tropical; 28°N - 24°S, 115°E - 67°E (Ref. 37792)
Western Pacific: Ogasawara Islands, south through the Philippines and Indonesia to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia, east to Samoa in the South Pacific, to the Marshall Islands.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 48637)
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25 - 28; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 22 - 26. Color orangish brown to dark brown with bluish lines following scale rows; chest with bluish cast; head, anterior body above pectoral-fin base, and chest with very small pale yellowish spots; lips blue; orbit narrowly rimmed with dull yellow. Median fins dark brown, dorsal with bluish lines extending in from body. Young bright yellow. Lip margins smooth to finely papillate. Caudal fin emarginate (Ref. 42056).
Inhabits inner to outer reef with rich coral growth, usually on upper part of slopes in 7-15 meters depth (Ref. 48637). Solitary or in groups, grazing on algae (Ref. 90102). Maximum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Randall, J.E and K.D. Clements, 2001. Second revision of the surgeonfish genus Ctenochaetus (Perciformes: Acanthuridae), with descriptions of two new species. Indo-Pac. Fish. (32):33 p. (Ref. 42056)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.2 - 29.3, mean 28.6 °C (based on 1221 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5020 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02344 (0.01123 - 0.04892), b=2.96 (2.79 - 3.13), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 41.8 [25.9, 70.7] mg/100g; Iron = 0.263 [0.142, 0.645] mg/100g; Protein = 18 [17, 19] %; Omega3 = 0.133 [0.085, 0.215] g/100g; Selenium = 19.9 [11.3, 35.8] μg/100g; VitaminA = 54.4 [12.5, 216.9] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.432 [0.316, 1.460] mg/100g (wet weight);