Scientific Name
Acanthurus mata

Common Name
Elongate surgeonfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-26; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 23 - 24. Body brown; head banded; fins brown. Capable of changing color to pale bluish overall. Behind eye a yellow area and 2 yellow bands extending anterior from eye. A single, sharp, forward-pointing erectile spine which folds down into a horizontal groove on each side of the caudal peduncle; spine in white sheath. Gill rakers 13-15 in both anterior and posterior rows. Scales minute.

Classification

Classified By

Cuvier, 1829

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes (Acanthuridae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Natal, South Africa and east to the Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Range

35°N - 24°S, 32°E - 143°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

23 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

5 m

Depth To - meters

100 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 5 - 100 m (Ref. 28016), usually 5 - 45 m (Ref. 27115)

Trophic Level

2.53 s.e. 0.25 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

50.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (39 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.219; Tmax=23)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 4716)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated