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Fish Identification: Find Species

Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Acanthuridae Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes
Subfamily: Acanthurinae
Genus: Acanthurus

(See list of species below)


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39 species (see list below)

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Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 24 cm TL
Acanthurus achilles Shaw, 1803

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus achilles
[Achilles tang]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 25.2 cm SL
 
Acanthurus albimento
[Whitechin surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 33 cm TL
Acanthurus albipectoralis Allen & Ayling, 1987

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus albipectoralis
[Whitefin surgeonfish]

Photo by Trevor, M.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 45 cm SL
Acanthurus auranticavus Randall, 1956

Photo by Trevor, M.
 
Acanthurus auranticavus
[Orange-socket surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 38.1 cm SL
Acanthurus bahianus Castelnau, 1855

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus bahianus
[Ocean surgeon]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 50 cm TL
Acanthurus bariene Lesson, 1831

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus bariene
[Black-spot surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 45 cm SL
Acanthurus blochii Valenciennes, 1835

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus blochii
[Ringtail surgeonfish]

Photo by Patzner, R.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 39 cm TL
Acanthurus chirurgus (Bloch, 1787)

Photo by Patzner, R.
 
Acanthurus chirurgus
[Doctorfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 28 cm TL
Acanthurus chronixis Randall, 1960

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus chronixis
[Chronixis surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 39 cm TL
Acanthurus coeruleus Bloch & Schneider, 1801

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus coeruleus
[Blue tang surgeonfish]

Photo by Cook, D.C.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 54 cm TL
Acanthurus dussumieri Valenciennes, 1835

Photo by Cook, D.C.
 
Acanthurus dussumieri
[Eyestripe surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 45 cm SL
Acanthurus fowleri de Beaufort, 1951

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus fowleri
[Fowler's surgeonfish]

Photo by Field, R.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 40 cm TL
Acanthurus gahhm (Forsskål, 1775)

Photo by Field, R.
 
Acanthurus gahhm
[Black surgeonfish]

Photo by Bajol, R.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 35 cm TL
Acanthurus grammoptilus Richardson, 1843

Photo by Bajol, R.
 
Acanthurus grammoptilus
[Finelined surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 26 cm TL
Acanthurus guttatus Forster, 1801

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus guttatus
[Whitespotted surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 21 cm TL
Acanthurus japonicus (Schmidt, 1931)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus japonicus
[Japan surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 45 cm SL
Acanthurus leucocheilus Herre, 1927

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus leucocheilus
[Palelipped surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 25 cm TL
Acanthurus leucopareius (Jenkins, 1903)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus leucopareius
[Whitebar surgeonfish]

Photo by Rusconi, G.

Indian Ocean
Max. Length 54 cm TL
Acanthurus leucosternon Bennett, 1833

Photo by Rusconi, G.
 
Acanthurus leucosternon
[Powderblue surgeonfish]

Photo by Greenfield, J.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 38 cm TL
Acanthurus lineatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Photo by Greenfield, J.
 
Acanthurus lineatus
[Lined surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 40 cm SL
Acanthurus maculiceps (Ahl, 1923)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus maculiceps
[White-freckled surgeonfish]

Photo by Honeycutt, K.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 50 cm TL
Acanthurus mata (Cuvier, 1829)

Photo by Honeycutt, K.
 
Acanthurus mata
[Elongate surgeonfish]

Photo by Pinheiro, P.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 45 cm SL
Acanthurus monroviae Steindachner, 1876

Photo by Pinheiro, P.
 
Acanthurus monroviae
[Monrovia doctorfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Eastern Indian Ocean
Max. Length 21.3 cm TL
Acanthurus nigricans (Linnaeus, 1758)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus nigricans
[Whitecheek surgeonfish]

Photo by Greenfield, J.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 40 cm TL
Acanthurus nigricauda Duncker & Mohr, 1929

Photo by Greenfield, J.
 
Acanthurus nigricauda
[Epaulette surgeonfish]

Photo by Greenfield, J.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 21 cm TL
Acanthurus nigrofuscus (Forsskål, 1775)

Photo by Greenfield, J.
 
Acanthurus nigrofuscus
[Brown surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 25 cm TL
Acanthurus nigroris Valenciennes, 1835

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus nigroris
[Bluelined surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 26 cm TL
Acanthurus nubilus (Fowler & Bean, 1929)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus nubilus
[Bluelined surgeon]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Pacific Ocean
Max. Length 35 cm TL
Acanthurus olivaceus Bloch & Schneider, 1801

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus olivaceus
[Orangespot surgeonfish]

Photo by Bourjon, P.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 11 cm TL
Acanthurus polyzona (Bleeker, 1868)

Photo by Bourjon, P.
 
Acanthurus polyzona
[Black-barred surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 29 cm TL
Acanthurus pyroferus Kittlitz, 1834

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus pyroferus
[Chocolate surgeonfish]

Photo by O'Donnell, P.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 18 cm TL
Acanthurus randalli Briggs & Caldwell, 1957

Photo by O'Donnell, P.
 
Acanthurus randalli
[Gulf surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 34 cm TL
Acanthurus reversus Randall & Earle, 1999

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus reversus
[]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 40 cm TL
Acanthurus sohal (Forsskål, 1775)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus sohal
[Sohal surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indian Ocean
Max. Length 31 cm TL
Acanthurus tennentii Günther, 1861

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus tennentii
[Doubleband surgeonfish]

Photo by Greenfield, J.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 27 cm TL
Acanthurus thompsoni (Fowler, 1923)

Photo by Greenfield, J.
 
Acanthurus thompsoni
[Thompson's surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 27 cm TL
Acanthurus triostegus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus triostegus
[Convict surgeonfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indian Ocean
Max. Length 25 cm TL
Acanthurus tristis Randall, 1993

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Acanthurus tristis
[Indian Ocean mimic surgeonfish]

Photo by Alban Choinier/Magazine des Voyages de Pêche

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 70 cm TL
Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835

Photo by Alban Choinier/Magazine des Voyages de Pêche
 
Acanthurus xanthopterus
[Yellowfin surgeonfish]
39 Species of Family Acanthuridae with Genus Acanthurus
(Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes)
Sort by: Species Length Year
1 of 1 Jump to:
Year Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm)
1803 Acanthurus achilles Achilles tang Western Pacific 24 TL
2017 Acanthurus albimento Whitechin surgeonfish Western Pacific 25.2 SL
1987 Acanthurus albipectoralis Whitefin surgeonfish Western Pacific 33 TL
1956 Acanthurus auranticavus Orange-socket surgeonfish Western Indian Ocean 45 SL
1855 Acanthurus bahianus Ocean surgeon Western Atlantic 38.1 SL
1831 Acanthurus bariene Black-spot surgeonfish Indo-West Pacific 50 TL
1835 Acanthurus blochii Ringtail surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 45 SL
1787 Acanthurus chirurgus Doctorfish Western Atlantic 39 TL
1960 Acanthurus chronixis Chronixis surgeonfish Western Pacific 28 TL
1801 Acanthurus coeruleus Blue tang surgeonfish Western Atlantic 39 TL
1835 Acanthurus dussumieri Eyestripe surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 54 TL
1951 Acanthurus fowleri Fowler's surgeonfish Western Pacific 45 SL
1775 Acanthurus gahhm Black surgeonfish Western Indian Ocean 40 TL
1843 Acanthurus grammoptilus Finelined surgeonfish Western Pacific 35 TL
1801 Acanthurus guttatus Whitespotted surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 26 TL
1931 Acanthurus japonicus Japan surgeonfish Indo-West Pacific 21 TL
1927 Acanthurus leucocheilus Palelipped surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 45 SL
1903 Acanthurus leucopareius Whitebar surgeonfish Western Central Pacific 25 TL
1833 Acanthurus leucosternon Powderblue surgeonfish Indian Ocean 54 TL
1758 Acanthurus lineatus Lined surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 38 TL
1923 Acanthurus maculiceps White-freckled surgeonfish Indo-West Pacific 40 SL
1829 Acanthurus mata Elongate surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 50 TL
1876 Acanthurus monroviae Monrovia doctorfish Eastern Atlantic 45 SL
1758 Acanthurus nigricans Whitecheek surgeonfish Eastern Indian Ocean 21.3 TL
1929 Acanthurus nigricauda Epaulette surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 40 TL
1775 Acanthurus nigrofuscus Brown surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 21 TL
1835 Acanthurus nigroris Bluelined surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 25 TL
1929 Acanthurus nubilus Bluelined surgeon Indo-West Pacific 26 TL
1801 Acanthurus olivaceus Orangespot surgeonfish Pacific Ocean 35 TL
1868 Acanthurus polyzona Black-barred surgeonfish Western Indian Ocean 11 TL
1834 Acanthurus pyroferus Chocolate surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 29 TL
1957 Acanthurus randalli Gulf surgeonfish Western Atlantic 18 TL
1999 Acanthurus reversus Eastern Central Pacific 34 TL
1775 Acanthurus sohal Sohal surgeonfish Western Indian Ocean 40 TL
1861 Acanthurus tennentii Doubleband surgeonfish Indian Ocean 31 TL
1923 Acanthurus thompsoni Thompson's surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 27 TL
1758 Acanthurus triostegus Convict surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 27 TL
1993 Acanthurus tristis Indian Ocean mimic surgeonfish Indian Ocean 25 TL
1835 Acanthurus xanthopterus Yellowfin surgeonfish Indo-Pacific 70 TL



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cfm script by eagbayani, 30.11.04, ,  php script by cmilitante, 05/11/2010 ,  last modified by cmilitante, 14/03/2013