Colours

Distinguishing features

A medium sized, dark brown fish which appears almost black underwater when viewed from a distance. The crescent shaped tail and the white tail ring are distinctive. Distinguish from other Acanthurus species by the rounded head profile, the dark brown pectoral fins with yellow margins, the dark caudal knives with an overlying black streak, and the elongate dark blotch behind the eye.

Size

Depth range

Synonyms

Distribution

©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Areas of turf algae and coral rubble on sheltered lagoonal reef flats and slopes, and sandy substrata close to reef edges.

Found in most reef habitats around the island, usually near areas of sand along reef margins.

Behaviour

The Eyeline surgeonfish is a roving detritivore, moving around the reef usually singly or in small groups, and feeding on the organic detritus that accumulates on sandy and turf algal covered substrata. The surgeonfish are a very long lived group of fishes - after settlement to the reef, juveniles grow quickly and reach 80% of their maximum size in about 3 years, and then grow very slowly thereafter. Many of them live from 30-50years. They spawn in groups during the warmer months, when fast running tidal currents coincide with dawn and dusk.

Web resources

Danger

References