Acanthurus maculiceps | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Acanthuriformes |
Family: | Acanthuridae |
Genus: | Acanthurus |
Species: | A. maculiceps |
Binomial name | |
Acanthurus maculiceps (C. G. E. Ahl, 1923) | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Acanthurus maculiceps, the white-freckled surgeonfish, yellow-freckled surgeonfish, pale-lined surgeonfish,spotted-faced surgeonfish or earbar surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Indo-West Pacific region.
Acanthurus maculiceps was first formally described in 1923 by the German zoologist Ernst Ahl with its type locality given as Talasea on New Britain in Papua New Guinea. [3] The genus Acanthurus is one of two genera in the tribe Acanthurini which is one of three tribes in the subfamily Acanthurinae which is one of two subfamilies in the family Acanthuridae. [4]
Acanthurus maculiceps has the specific name maculiceps, this combines the Latin words maculatus, meaning "spotted", and ceps, meaning "head", this refers to the large number of white spots on the head of this fish. [5]
Acanthurus maculiceps has its dorsal fin supported by 9 spines and between 24 and 26 soft rays while the anal fin is supported by 3 spines and 22 to 24 soft rays. [2] It has an oval, laterally compressed body with a convex dorsal profile to the head. In juveniles the caudal fin is truncate but as they grow it becomes lunate with long filaments growing out of the fin lobes [6] The head is marked with pale spots and the body has fine lines along the flanks, there is a yellow patch underneath the mouth on the breast and an elongated dark blotch to the rear of the eye. The spine on the caudal peduncle is within a dark blotch and there is frequently a yellowish band on caudal peduncle with the pectoral fins having yellow tips. [7] The overall colour may vary from light yellow to dark brown and the change in colour can happen very quickly. [6] This species has a maximum published standard length of 40 cm (16 in)> [2]
Acanthurus maculiceps is found in the Indo-Pacific region. It is found in the Maldives, east into the Pacific as far as the Line Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to the Great Barrier Reef off Australia. [1] These fishes are found in clear waters in the outer reef flats and on seaward reefs at depths between 1 and 15 m (3 ft 3 in and 49 ft 3 in). [2]
Acanthurus maculiceps is found either solitarily or in small groups. [7] They are grazers feeding on algae and detritus. The males develop brighter nuptial colours when spawning. The eggs are pelagic and the juveniles are white, developing adult colours slowly from a length of 20 cm (7.9 in)> [6]
Acanthurus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, which includes the surgeionfishes, unicornfishes and tangs, found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. 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. As other members of the family, they have a pair of spines, one on either side of the base of the tail which are dangerously sharp.
Naso vlamingii, the bignose unicornfish, scibbled unicornfish, Vlaming's unicornfish, and zebra unicornfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific.
Acanthurus achilles, the Achilles tang, redtail surgeonfish or redspot surgeonfish, is a marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the Pacific Ocean.
Acanthurus olivaceus, also known as the orange-band surgeonfish, the orange-shoulder surgeonfish or the orangebar tang, is a member of the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes. It lives in the tropical waters of the Indo-west Pacific.
Naso lituratus, the clown unicornfish, orangespined unicornfish, black-finned unicornfish, Pacific orangespined unicornfish, blackfinned unicornfish or stripefaced unicornfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean.
Acanthurus dussumieri, commonly known as Dussumier's surgeonfish, the eye-stripe surgeonfish or the ornate surgeonfish, is a ray-finned fish from the Indo-Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a maximum length of 54 cm (21 in) but 35 cm (14 in) is a more usual size.
Acanthurus japonicus, the Japan surgeonfish, white-faced surgeonfish, gold rim tang, powder brown tang and white-nose surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes or tangs. This fish is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.
Acanthurus albipectoralis, the whitefin surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.
Acanthurus blochii, the ringtail surgeonfish or dark surgeonfish, is a marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the Indo-Pacific.
The doubleband surgeonfish or lieutenant tang, is a marine ray-finned fish in the family Acanthuridae. It is found in the tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific region and grows to a maximum length of 31 cm (12 in).
Acanthurus guttatus, the whitespotted surgeonfish, spotted surgeonfish, mustard surgeonfish, mustard tang or spotband surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes or tangs. It is found in shallow waters on reefs in the Indo-Pacific.
Acanthurus auranticavus, the ringtail surgeonfish or orange-socket surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Indo-West Pacific.
Acanthurus bariene, the bariene surgeonfish, black-spot surgeonfish, or eye-spot surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific.
Acanthurus fowleri, Fowler's surgeonfish or the horseshoe surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes or tangs. This fish is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.
Acanthurus grammoptilus the finelined surgeonfish, inshore surgeonfish, Northwest surgeonfish or ring-tailed surgeonfis, is a marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.
Acanthurus leucocheilus, the palelipped surgeonfish or the white-spine surgeonfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes or tangs. This fish is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Naso elegans, the elegant unicornfish, the blonde naso tang, Indian orange-spine unicorn, lipstick surgeonfish, lipstick tang, orangespine unicornfish or smoothheaded unicornfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
Naso fageni, the horseface unicornfish or blunt unicornfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Prionurus laticlavius the razor surgeonfish or razor sawtail, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the eastern central Pacific Ocean.
The whitechin surgeonfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. It is endemic to the waters of the western Pacific Ocean in the Philippines.