Acanthuridae ("thorn tail") is the
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus...
of surgeonfishes, tang, and
unicornfishesThe unicorn fishes are 17 species of tropical marine surgeonfishes in the genus Naso. They are so named because of a spike that protrudes from its forehead; however some species have a bulbous protrusion rather than a pronounced spike, and some lack a spike altogether...
. The family includes about 80 species in six genera, all of which are
marineAn ocean is a large body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 75% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
fish living in tropical seas, usually around
coral reefCoral reefs are aragonite structures produced by living organisms, found in marine waters containing few nutrients. In most reefs, the predominant organisms are stony corals, colonial cnidarians that secrete an exoskeleton of calcium carbonate...
s. Many of the species are brightly colored and popular for
aquariaAn aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
.
The distinctive characteristic of the family is the spines, one or more on either side of the tail, which are dangerously sharp.
Acanthuridae ("thorn tail") is the
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus...
of surgeonfishes, tang, and
unicornfishesThe unicorn fishes are 17 species of tropical marine surgeonfishes in the genus Naso. They are so named because of a spike that protrudes from its forehead; however some species have a bulbous protrusion rather than a pronounced spike, and some lack a spike altogether...
. The family includes about 80 species in six genera, all of which are
marineAn ocean is a large body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 75% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
fish living in tropical seas, usually around
coral reefCoral reefs are aragonite structures produced by living organisms, found in marine waters containing few nutrients. In most reefs, the predominant organisms are stony corals, colonial cnidarians that secrete an exoskeleton of calcium carbonate...
s. Many of the species are brightly colored and popular for
aquariaAn aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
.
The distinctive characteristic of the family is the spines, one or more on either side of the tail, which are dangerously sharp. Both the
dorsalA dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of some fish, whales, dolphins, and porpoises, as well as the ichthyosaurs. Depending on the species, an animal can have up to three of them. Its main purpose is to stabilize the animal against rolling and assist in sudden turns...
and anal fins are large, extending for most of the length of the body. The small mouths have a single row of teeth used for grazing on algae.
Most species are relatively small and have a maximum length of 15-40 cm (6-16 in), but some members of the genus
Acanthurus, some members of the genus
Prionurus, and most members of the genus
Naso can grow larger, with the
whitemargin unicornfishThe Whitemargin unicornfish is a tropical fish found throughout the Indo-Pacific. It can reach a length of 100 cm making it one of the largest members of the family Acanthuridae.-Description:...
(
N. annulatus), the largest species in the family, reaching a length of up to a meter (3,3 ft). These fishes can grow quickly in aquariums so it is advisable to check the average growth size and suitability before adding to a marine aquarium.
Species
- Genus Acanthurus
Acanthurus is the type genus of the family Acanthuridae. Approximately half of all members of the family are members of the genus Acanthurus. They are found in tropical oceans, especially near coral reefs, with most species in the Indo-Pacific, but a few are found in the Atlantic Ocean...
- Achilles tang, Acanthurus achilles Shaw, 1803.
- Whitefin surgeonfish, Acanthurus albipectoralis Allen & Ayling, 1987.
- Orange-socket surgeonfish, Acanthurus auranticavus Randall, 1956.
- Ocean surgeon, Acanthurus bahianus Castelnau, 1855.
- Black-spot surgeonfish, Acanthurus bariene Lesson
René Primevère Lesson was a French surgeon and naturalist.Lesson was born at Rochefort, and at the age of sixteen he entered the Naval Medical School there...
, 1831.
- Ringtail surgeonfish, Acanthurus blochii Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835.
- Doctorfish tang
Acanthurus chirurgus, commonly called the Doctor fish and the Doctorfish tang in English or the Barbero rayado and the Cirujano rayado in Spanish, is a tropical marine fish common in the Atlantic Ocean.-Description:...
, Acanthurus chirurgus (BlochMarcus Elieser Bloch was a German medical doctor and naturalist. He is generally considered one of the most important ichthyologists of the 18th century.- Life :...
, 1787).
- Chronixis surgeonfish, Acanthurus chronixis Randall, 1960.
- Atlantic Blue tang surgeonfish, Acanthurus coeruleus Bloch
Marcus Elieser Bloch was a German medical doctor and naturalist. He is generally considered one of the most important ichthyologists of the 18th century.- Life :...
& SchneiderJohann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider was a German classicist and naturalist.Schneider was born at Koilmen in Saxony...
, 1801.
- Eyestripe surgeonfish, Acanthurus dussumieri Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835.
- Fowler's surgeonfish, Acanthurus fowleri de Beaufort, 1951.
- Black surgeonfish, Acanthurus gahhm (Forsskål
Peter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist and naturalist.-Early life:...
, 1775).
- Finelined surgeonfish, Acanthurus grammoptilus Richardson
Sir John Richardson was a Scottish naval surgeon, naturalist and arctic explorer.Richardson was born at Dumfries. He studied medicine at Edinburgh University , and became a surgeon in the navy in 1807. He traveled with John Franklin in search of the Northwest Passage on the Coppermine Expedition...
, 1843.
- Whitespotted surgeonfish, Acanthurus guttatus Forster
Johann Reinhold Forster was a German Lutheran pastor and naturalist of partial Scottish descent who made contributions to the early ornithology of Europe and North America...
, 1801.
- Japan surgeonfish, Acanthurus japonicus (Schmidt, 1931).
- Palelipped surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucocheilus Herre, 1927.
- Whitebar surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucopareius (Jenkins, 1903).
- Powderblue surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucosternon Bennett, 1833.
- Lined surgeonfish, Acanthurus lineatus (Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature...
, 1758).
- White-freckled surgeonfish, Acanthurus maculiceps] (Ahl, 1923).
- Elongate surgeonfish
Acanthurus mata is a tropical fish with the common name Elongate Surgeonfish.-Appearance:The elongate surgeonfish is light blue with numerous brown stripes running down the length of its body, although over time it is able to change colour to become blue overall. It has a band of yellowish green...
, Acanthurus mata (CuvierGeorges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier was a French naturalist and zoologist. Of humble working class origins, he belonged to a new class of self-made scholars who worked their way to the top of academe...
, 1829).
- Monrovia doctorfish, Acanthurus monroviae Steindachner
Franz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess...
, 1876.
- Whitecheek surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigricans (Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature...
, 1758).
- Epaulette surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigricauda Duncker & Mohr, 1929.
- Brown surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigrofuscus (Forsskål
Peter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist and naturalist.-Early life:...
, 1775).
- Bluelined surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigroris Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835.
- Bluelined surgeon, Acanthurus nubilus (Fowler & Bean, 1929).
- Orangespot surgeonfish, Acanthurus olivaceus Bloch
Marcus Elieser Bloch was a German medical doctor and naturalist. He is generally considered one of the most important ichthyologists of the 18th century.- Life :...
& SchneiderJohann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider was a German classicist and naturalist.Schneider was born at Koilmen in Saxony...
, 1801.
- Black-barred surgeonfish, Acanthurus polyzona (Bleeker
Pieter Bleeker was a Dutch medical doctor and ichthyologist, famous for his work on the fishes of East Asia....
, 1868).
- Chocolate surgeonfish, Acanthurus pyroferus Kittlitz, 1834.
- Gulf surgeonfish, Acanthurus randalli Briggs & Caldwell, 1957.
- Acanthurus reversus Randall & Earle, 1999.
- Sohal surgeonfish
The sohal surgeonfish or sohal tang, Acanthurus sohal, is a Red Sea endemic which grows to 16 inches in the wild. Its striking blue and white horizontal stripes has made it what many consider the 'poster fish' for the Red Sea reef environment...
, Acanthurus sohal (ForsskålPeter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist and naturalist.-Early life:...
, 1775).
- Doubleband surgeonfish, Acanthurus tennentii Günther, 1861.
- Thompson's surgeonfish, Acanthurus thompsoni (Fowler, 1923).
- Convict surgeonfish, Acanthurus triostegus (Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature...
, 1758).
- Indian Ocean mimic surgeonfish, Acanthurus tristis Randall, 1993.
- Yellowfin surgeonfish, Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835.
- Genus Ctenochaetus
Ctenochaetus, or bristletooth tangs, is a genus of fish in the Acanthuridae family.It contains the following species:* Twospot surgeonfish, Ctenochaetus binotatus
Randall, 1955....
- Twospot surgeonfish, Ctenochaetus binotatus Randall, 1955.
- Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus
Ctenochaetus strigosus, is a marine reef tang in the fish family Acanthuridae. It is endemic to Oceania. It grows to 6.3 inches in the wild....
Randall & Clements, 2001.
- Ctenochaetus flavicauda
Ctenochaetus flavicauda is a Tang from the Pacific Ocean. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 11.8 cm in length, making it the smallest ctenochaetus tang, and also the smallest acanthurid...
Fowler, 1938.
- Striped-fin surgeonfish, Ctenochaetus marginatus (Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835).
- Striated surgeonfish, Ctenochaetus striatus (Quoy
Jean René Constant Quoy was a French zoologist.Along with Joseph Paul Gaimard he served as naturalist aboard La Coquille under Louis Isidore Duperrey during its circumnavigation of the globe , and the Astrolabe under the command of Jules Dumont d'Urville...
& GaimardJoseph Paul Gaimard was a French naturalist.Along with Jean René Constant Quoy he served as naturalist aboard the ships La Coquille under Louis Isidore Duperrey, and L'Astrolabe under the command of Jules Dumont d'Urville between 1826 and 1829...
, 1825).
- Kole Tang, Ctenochaetus strigosus (Bennett, 1828).
- Tomini surgeonfish, Ctenochaetus tominiensis Randall, 1955.
- Ctenochaetus truncatus Randall & Clements, 2001.
- Genus Naso
The unicorn fishes are 17 species of tropical marine surgeonfishes in the genus Naso. They are so named because of a spike that protrudes from its forehead; however some species have a bulbous protrusion rather than a pronounced spike, and some lack a spike altogether...
- Whitemargin unicornfish
The Whitemargin unicornfish is a tropical fish found throughout the Indo-Pacific. It can reach a length of 100 cm making it one of the largest members of the family Acanthuridae.-Description:...
, Naso annulatus (QuoyJean René Constant Quoy was a French zoologist.Along with Joseph Paul Gaimard he served as naturalist aboard La Coquille under Louis Isidore Duperrey during its circumnavigation of the globe , and the Astrolabe under the command of Jules Dumont d'Urville...
& GaimardJoseph Paul Gaimard was a French naturalist.Along with Jean René Constant Quoy he served as naturalist aboard the ships La Coquille under Louis Isidore Duperrey, and L'Astrolabe under the command of Jules Dumont d'Urville between 1826 and 1829...
, 1825).
- Humpback unicornfish
The Humpback unicornfish is a species of Unicornfish commonly found in tropical reefs, so named because of its distinctive humped back. The habitat of the Humpback unicornfish includes most of the coastline of the Indonesian islands and some areas off the coast of Africa....
, Naso brachycentron (ValenciennesAchille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835).
- Spotted unicornfish
The Spotted unicornfish is a type of Unicornfish found in the Indian and Pacific oceans....
, Naso brevirostris (CuvierGeorges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier was a French naturalist and zoologist. Of humble working class origins, he belonged to a new class of self-made scholars who worked their way to the top of academe...
, 1829).
- Naso caeruleacauda Randall, 1994.
- Gray unicornfish, Naso caesius Randall & Bell, 1992.
- Elegant unicornfish, Naso elegans (Rüppell
Wilhelm Peter Eduard Simon Rüppell was a German naturalist and explorer. Rüppell is occasionally transliterated to "Rueppell" for the English alphabet....
, 1829).
- Horseface unicornfish, Naso fageni Morrow, 1954.
- Sleek unicornfish, Naso hexacanthus (Bleeker
Pieter Bleeker was a Dutch medical doctor and ichthyologist, famous for his work on the fishes of East Asia....
, 1855).
- Orangespine unicornfish, Naso lituratus
Naso lituratus or the Orangespine unicornfish or Naso tang Naso lituratus or the Orangespine unicornfish or Naso tang Naso lituratus or the Orangespine unicornfish or Naso tang ( is a tang from the Pacific Ocean. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 46cm in...
(ForsterJohann Reinhold Forster was a German Lutheran pastor and naturalist of partial Scottish descent who made contributions to the early ornithology of Europe and North America...
, 1801).
- Elongate unicornfish, Naso lopezi
Naso Lopezi is a Tang from the Western Pacific Ocean. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 60cm in length....
Herre, 1927.
- Naso maculatus Randall & Struhsaker, 1981.
- Squarenose unicornfish, Naso mcdadei Johnson, 2002.
- Slender unicorn, Naso minor (Smith, 1966).
- Naso reticulatus Randall, 2001.
- Oneknife unicornfish, Naso thynnoides (Cuvier
Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier was a French naturalist and zoologist. Of humble working class origins, he belonged to a new class of self-made scholars who worked their way to the top of academe...
, 1829).
- Bulbnose unicornfish, Naso tonganus (Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835).
- Humpnose unicornfish, Naso tuberosus Lacépède, 1801.
- Bluespine unicornfish
The Bluespine unicornfish is a tang from the Indo-Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 70cm in length....
, Naso unicornis (ForsskålPeter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist and naturalist.-Early life:...
, 1775).
- Bignose unicornfish, Naso vlamingii (Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835).
- Genus Paracanthurus
- Palette surgeonfish, Paracanthurus hepatus (Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature...
, 1766).
- Genus Prionurus
- Biafra doctorfish, Prionurus biafraensis (Blache & Rossignol, 1961).
- Prionurus chrysurus Randall, 2001.
- Razor surgeonfish, Prionurus laticlavius (Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1846).
- Yellowspotted sawtail
The yellowspotted sawtail, Prionurus maculatus, is a tang of the family Acanthuridae, found in the southwest Pacific Ocean.-References:* Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, ISBN 0-00-216987-8...
, Prionurus maculatus (Randall & Struhsaker, 1981).
- Sixplate sawtail, Prionurus microlepidotus Lacépède, 1804.
- Yellowtail surgeonfish, Prionurus punctatus Gill
Theodore Nicholas Gill was an American ichthyologist, mammalogist, malacologist and librarian.Born and educated in New York City under private tutors, Gill early showed interest in natural history. He was associated with J...
, 1862.
- Scalpel sawtail, Prionurus scalprum Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835.
- Genus Zebrasoma
Zebrasoma is a genus of marine fish composed of seven species of pointed-snout, disc-like bodied, sail-like finned, single peduncular-spined fishes. Zebrasoma are usually placid community fish, many forming large groups or shoals, although fiercely territorial against other tangs or similar shaped...
- Red Sea sailfin tang
The Red Sea sailfin tang or Desjardin's sailfin tang is a marine reef tang in the fish family Acanthuridae. They originate in the lagoons and reefs of the Indian Ocean from the southern Red Sea to KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa and as far east as India and Java. They may live at water...
, Zebrasoma desjardinii (Bennett, 1836).
- Yellow tang
The yellow tang is a saltwater fish species of the family Acanthuridae. It is one of the most popular aquarium fish.-Appearance:...
, Zebrasoma flavescens (Bennett, 1828).
- Spotted tang, Zebrasoma gemmatum (Valenciennes
Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
, 1835).
- Longnose surgeonfish, Zebrasoma rostratum (Günther, 1875).
- Twotone tang, Zebrasoma scopas (Cuvier
Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier was a French naturalist and zoologist. Of humble working class origins, he belonged to a new class of self-made scholars who worked their way to the top of academe...
, 1829).
- Sailfin tang, Zebrasoma veliferum (Bloch
Marcus Elieser Bloch was a German medical doctor and naturalist. He is generally considered one of the most important ichthyologists of the 18th century.- Life :...
, 1795).
- Yellowtail tang, Zebrasoma xanthurum (Blyth, 1852).
Etymology and taxonomic history
The name of the family is derived from the Greek words
akantha and
oura, which loosely translate to "thorn" and "tail", respectively. This refers to the distinguishing characteristic of the family, the "scalpel" found each member's caudal peduncle.
In the early 1900's, the family was called
Hepatidae.
In the aquarium
Tangs are very sensitive to disease in the home aquarium. However if the tang is fed enough algae and the aquarium is properly maintained disease should not be a problem. It is usually necessary to quarantine the animals for a period before introducing them to the aquarium.
Adults range from 15-40 cm (6-15 in.) in length and most grow quickly even in aquariums. When considering a tang for an aquarium it is important to consider the size to which these fish can grow. Larger species such as the popular regal tang (of
Finding Nemo fame),
NasoThe unicorn fishes are 17 species of tropical marine surgeonfishes in the genus Naso. They are so named because of a spike that protrudes from its forehead; however some species have a bulbous protrusion rather than a pronounced spike, and some lack a spike altogether...
or lipstick tang, clown and sohal tangs can grow to 40 cm (15 in.) and require swimming room and hiding places.
Many also suggest adding aggressive tangs to the aquarium last as they are territorial and may fight and possibly kill other fish.
Tangs primarily graze on macroalgae, such as caulerpa and gracilias, although they have been observed in an aquarium setting to eat meat-based fish foods. A popular technique for aquarists, is to grow macroalgae in a
sumpA sump is a low space that collects any often-undesirable liquids such as water or chemicals. A sump can also be an infiltration basin used to manage surface runoff water and recharge underground aquifers....
or
refugiumRefugium may mean:* Refugium , an appendage to a marine, brackish, or freshwater fish tank that shares the same water supply.* Refugium , a location of an isolated or relict population of a once widespread animal or plant species.* Refugium Range, a mountain range on Vancouver Island, British...
. This technique not only is economically beneficial, but serves to promote enhanced water quality through
nitrateIn inorganic chemistry, a nitrate is a salt of nitric acid with an ion composed of one nitrogen and three oxygen atoms . In organic chemistry the esters of nitric acid and various alcohols are called nitrates.-Chemical properties:...
absorption. The growth of the algae can then be controlled by feeding it to the tang.