Sealife guideThe blue tang surgeonfishAcanthurus coeruleus
The blue tang surgeonfish (Acanthurus coeruleus)
Taxonomy
- Common name: Blue tang surgeonfish, Blue tang, blue doctorfish
- French name: Poisson chirurgien bleu, poisson chirurgien bayolle
- Spanish name: Cirujano azul
- Scientific name: Acanthurus coeruleus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
- Family name: Acanthuridae
- Order name: Acanthuriformes
- Class name: Actinopterygii
Description
The blue tang surgeonfish is distinguished by its oval and flattened body covered with small, smooth scales. It features a bright blue color that intensifies with age and may have yellowish hues when it is young.
Note the presence of a sharp, lateral spine at the base of the blue tang's tail !
On each side of its tail, the blue tang surgeonfish has a sharp spine, resembling a scalpel, which helps it defend against predators.
The blue tang surgeonfish typically measures about 10 to 12 inches in length with a maximum size of up to 16 inches.
Range
The blue tang surgeonfish is primarily found in the tropical waters of the western Atlantic ocean. Its range extends from the coasts of Florida and the Bahamas to the Caribbean, including the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles, as well as along the coasts of the Sargasso sea.
Habitat
The blue tang surgeonfish typically inhabits coral reefs, seagrass beds and rocky areas where it hides in crevices. It is commonly found in shallow waters up to about 65 feet deep.
The blue tang surgeonfish (Acanthurus coeruleus)
Diet
The blue tang surgeonfish is an omnivore with a strong herbivorous tendency. It primarily feeds on algae but also consumes small marine organisms.
Did you know ?
The blue tang surgeonfish gets its name from the presence of a sharp, scalpel-like spine on either side of its tail which it uses to keep predators at bay !
The blue tang surgeonfish (Acanthurus coeruleus)
The blue tang surgeonfish is listed as many other marine species within The
IUCN Red List of threatened species. The blue tang surgeonfish appears in the
IUCN Red List since 2012 within the category Least Concern !
Japanese surgeonfish
(Acanthurus japonicus)
Palelipped surgeonfish
(Acanthurus leucocheilus)
Yellowfin surgeonfish
(Acanthurus xanthopterus)
Black-spot surgeonfish
(Acanthurus bariene)
Orangeband surgeonfish
(Acanthurus olivaceus)
Yellowmask surgeonfish
(Acanthurus mata)
Mimic surgeonfish
(Acanthurus pyroferus)
Striped surgeonfish
(Acanthurus lineatus)
Within the same family
Humpback unicornfish
(Naso brachycentron)
Orangespine unicornfish
(Naso lituratus)
Bluetail unicornfish
(Naso caeruleacauda)
Paletail unicornfish
(Naso brevirostris)
Kole tang
(Ctenochaetus strigosus)
Sailfin tang
(Zebrasoma velifer)
Indian sailfin surgeonfish
(Zebrasoma desjardinii)
Palette surgeonfish
(Paracanthurus hepatus)
Explore also
Slender filefish
(Monacanthus tuckeri)
Elegant sculpin
(Bero elegans)
Indian threadfish
(Alectis indica)
False leopard wrasse
(Macropharyngodon ornatus)
Maldive anemonefish
(Amphiprion nigripes)
Tailspot squirrelfish
(Sargocentron caudimaculatum)
Latticed butterfly
(Chaetodon rafflesii)
Black breasted pipefish
(Corythoichthys nigripectus)
The marine species from Caribbean sea
Black triggerfish
(Melichthys niger)
Blackbar soldierfish
(Myripristis jacobus)
Blue tang surgeonfish
(Acanthurus coeruleus)
Great barracuda
(Sphyraena barracuda)
Longspine squirrelfish
(Holocentrus rufus)
Royal angelfish
(Pygoplites diacanthus)
West Indian sea egg
(Tripneustes ventricosus)
Yellowhead jawfish
(Opistognathus aurifrons)
Dive centers
'Les Ilets' dive center
Noa dive center
