Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish, unicornfish, and tangs belong to the Acanthuridae family. They have scalpel-like spines on either side of the tail. Over twenty species are found in the Maldives.

Surgeonfish

Night surgeonfish, Acanthurus thompsoni

surgeonfish

Gold-ring bristletooth, Ctenochaetus binotatus

aurgeonfish

Powder-blue surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucosternon

surgeonfish

Fine-lined bristletooth, Ctenochaetus striatus

surgeonfish surgeonfish

Ring-tail surgeonfish, Acanthurus auranticavus

surgeonfish

Sailfin surgeonfish (sailfin tang), Zebrasima desjardini

Lieutenant surgeonfish, Acanthurus tennenti

surgeonfish

Unicornfish are in the surgeonfish family. Some species have a "rostral protuberance", a horn-like extension of the forehead. They eat algae.

Sleek unicornfish, Naso hexacanthus

unicornfish

Hump-nose unicornfish, Naso mcdadei

unicornfish

Big-nose unicornfish, Naso vlamingli

unicornfish

Orange-spine unicornfish, Naso elegans

unicornfish unicornfish

Spotted unicornfish, Naso brevirostris (female left, male right)

unicornfish unicornfish

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Last modified 4 November 2019