Acanthurus nigricauda

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Acanthurus nigricauda
Acanthurus nigricauda, livree claire.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Acanthuriformes
Family: Acanthuridae
Genus: Acanthurus
Species:
A. nigricauda
Binomial name
Acanthurus nigricauda
Duncker & Mohr, 1929 [2]
Synonyms
  • Acanthurus gahm nigricaudaDuncker & Mohr, 1929

Acanthurus nigricauda, the epaulette surgeonfish, black-barred surgeonfish, eye-line surgeonfish, shoulderbar surgeonfish, white-tail surgeonfish or blackstreak surgeonfish, [3] is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region.

Contents

Taxonomy

Acanthurus nigricauda was first formally described as a subspecies of Acanthurus gahhm in 1929 by the German zoologists Paul Georg Egmont Duncker and& Erna Mohr with its type locality given as Massau Island in the St Matthias Islands northeast of New Ireland in the Bismarck Archipelago in Papua New Guinea. [4] It was confirmed as a separate valid species by John E. Randall in 1987. [5] 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. [6]

Etymology

Acanthuurus nigricauda was given the subspecific name, nigricauda meaning "black tail", because its dark brown caudal peduncle distinguished it from the nominate A. g, gahhm. Duncker and Mohr originally described this taxon as a subspecies of that species. [7]

Description

Acanthurus nigricauda is a laterally compressed, deep-bodied fish reaching a maximum length of 40 cm (16 in). The profile of the head is convex, the eyes are fairly prominent and there are two pairs of nostrils just in front of the eyes. The dorsal fin has 9 spines and 25 to 28 soft rays, and the anal fin has 3 spines and 23 to 26 soft rays. The caudal fin is crescent-shaped. The body is covered with tiny scales giving it a smooth appearance, and the lateral line is indistinct. The head is usually paler than the body, which is a uniform shade but varies in colour from pale grey to dark brown or nearly black, depending on the fish's mood. [3] There is a bold black streak behind the eye, the "epaulette", which extends as far as the operculum, and a slender black line in front of the pair of sharp "scalpels" on the caudal peduncle. The dorsal fin is yellowish with a black line with blue edge at the margin, and the anal fin is grey with a blue margin. The pectoral fins have an orange base and are banded in grey, yellow and translucent, and the caudal fin has a white base and a dark outer portion bordered with blue. [8] [3] A. nigricauda can be distinguished from the similar doubleband surgeonfish (Acanthurus tennenti) by the single "epaulette" behind its head. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Acanthurus nigricauda occurs in the tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from East Africa and Madagascar to the Tuamoto Islands, and from southern Japan to Northern and Eastern Australia and New Caledonia. [8] It occurs over sandy and rocky bottoms, in bays, lagoons and on reef slopes, at depths down to about 30 m (100 ft). Unlike most other members of its genus, it is seldom found over coral. [3]

Ecology

Acanthurus nigricauda is a schooling fish and forms shoals, sometimes in association with the orange-band surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus). [3] It feeds by grazing on the algal film that grows over sandy areas in the vicinity of coral or rock substrates, [9] but the proportion of algae in its stomach is low, and it mostly subsists on the organic detritus that gets trapped in the film. [3]

The sexes are separate in this species, and both sexes become mature at a length of about 15 cm (6 in). Large aggregations of fish occur at breeding time, with both sexes liberating their gametes into the water column. The scalpels on the caudal peduncle are retractable and are very sharp; they are displayed when the tail is thrust to the side and are used to slash at rival fish and for protection against predators. Juvenile fish are shorter and more deep-bodied than adults. They are deep brown at first, with a yellowish, unnotched caudal fin, and gradually change colour as they reach a length of between 5 and 10 cm (2 and 4 in). [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acanthuridae</span> Family of fishes with caudal spines

Acanthuridae are the family of surgeonfishes, tangs, and unicornfishes. The family includes about 86 extant species of marine fish living in tropical seas, usually around coral reefs. Many of the species are brightly colored and popular in aquaria.

<i>Acanthurus</i> Genus of fishes

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.

<i>Acanthurus achilles</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Acanthurus leucosternon</i> Species of fish

Acanthurus leucosternon the blue surgeonfish, powder blue tang and powder-blue 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 Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctorfish tang</span> Species of fish

The doctorfish tang, also known as the doctorfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. These fishes are found in the western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Acanthurus mata</i> Species of fish

Acanthurus mata, the pale surgeonfish, blue-lined surgeonfish, mata surgeonfish, striped surgeonfish, tailring surgeon, white-tail lancet or yellowmask 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 region.

<i>Naso lituratus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Acanthurus nigricans</i> Species of fish

Acanthurus nigricans, the goldrim surgeonfish, velvet surgeon, whitecheek surgeonfish, yellow-banded surgeonfish or yellowrimmed surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found from the central Indo-Pacific area to the eastern Pacific coast, Hawaii included.

<i>Acanthurus maculiceps</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Acanthurus albipectoralis</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Acanthurus blochii</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Acanthurus auranticavus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Acanthurus bariene</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Acanthurus fowleri</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Acanthurus gahhm</i> Species of fish

Acanthurus gahhm, the black surgeonfish, monk surgeonfish or lined 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 Indian Ocean.

<i>Acanthurus grammoptilus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Acanthurus leucocheilus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Prionurus</i> Genus of fishes

Prionurus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs, although some of the species in this genus are called sawtails or doctorfish. The species in this genus are found in the Pacific Ocean with one species, P. biafraensis, found in the Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acanthurinae</span> Subfamily of fishes

Acanthurinae is a subfamily of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Acanthuridae, found in the Indo-Pacific and the tropical Atlantic. These fishes commonly have the English names surgeonfishes or tangs.

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.

References

  1. ↑ Clements, K.D.; McIlwain, J.; Choat, J.H.; et al. (2012). "Acanthurus nigricauda". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012: e.T178017A1522347. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T178017A1522347.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Bailly, Nicolas (2020). "Acanthurus nigricauda Duncker & Mohr, 1929". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bourjon, Philippe; Sittler, Alain-Pierre (8 August 2019). "Acanthurus nigricauda Duncker & Mohr, 1929" (in French). DORIS. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  4. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Acanthurus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  5. ↑ John E. Randall (1987). "Three nomenclatorial changes in Indo-Pacific surgeonfishes (Acanthurinae)" (PDF). Pacific Science. 41 (1–4): 54–61.
  6. ↑ J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. pp. 497–502. ISBN   978-1-118-34233-6.
  7. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (12 January 2021). "Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 2): Families EPHIPPIDAE, LEIOGNATHIDAE, SCATOPHAGIDAE, ANTIGONIIDAE, SIGANIDAE, CAPROIDAE, LUVARIDAE, ZANCLIDAE and ACANTHURIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Acanthurus nigricauda Duncker & Mohr, 1929". FishBase. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  9. ↑ Dianne J. Bray. "Acanthurus nigricauda". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
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