Sealife guideThe doctorfishAcanthurus chirurgus
Last updated on 10/28/2025 at 11:51 PM
Taxonomy
English names
DoctorfishBlack doctorfish
French namesPoisson chirurgien docteur
Spanish namesCirujano rayadoNavajón cirujano
Scientific nameAcanthurus chirurgus (Bloch, 1787)
FamilyAcanthuridae
OrderAcanthuriformes
ClassActinopterygii
Did you know ?
The doctorfish is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The doctorfish appears in the IUCN Red List since 2012 within the category Least Concern !
The doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) © Rob Atherton | Dreamstime.com
Within the same genus
Black-spot surgeonfishAcanthurus bariene
Blue tang surgeonfishAcanthurus coeruleus
Japanese surgeonfishAcanthurus japonicus
Mimic surgeonfishAcanthurus pyroferus
Orangeband surgeonfishAcanthurus olivaceus
Palelipped surgeonfishAcanthurus leucocheilus
Powder blue tangAcanthurus leucosternon
Sohal surgeonfishAcanthurus sohal
Within the same family
Bluetail unicornfishNaso caeruleacauda
Humpback unicornfishNaso brachycentron
Indian sailfin surgeonfishZebrasoma desjardinii
Kole tangCtenochaetus strigosus
Orangespine unicornfishNaso lituratus
Paletail unicornfishNaso brevirostris
Palette surgeonfishParacanthurus hepatus
Sailfin tangZebrasoma velifer
Discover also
Arc-eye hawkfishParacirrhites arcatus
Atlantic bigeyePriacanthus arenatus
Filamented gobyExyrias akihito
Mexican hogfishBodianus diplotaenia
Reticulated sandperchParapercis tetracantha
Tailspot squirrelfishSargocentron caudimaculatum
Whitebelly damselfishAmblyglyphidodon leucogaster
Yellow banded pipefishDunckerocampus pessuliferus
The marine species in the Caribbean
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