Scientific Name
Acanthurus xanthopterus

Common Name
Yellowfin surgeonfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 8 - 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25-27; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 23 - 25. Body purplish gray when alive; grayish brown when preserved; a region of dull yellow in front of eye, a lesser extension posterior to lower part of eye; outer 1/3 of pectoral fin yellow, extreme distal part hyaline; dorsal and anal fins yellowish grey basally, dull yellow distally; caudal fin base whitish; caudal fin purplish. Anterior gill rakers 16-24, posterior 17-22. Caudal spine small.

Classification

Classified By

Valenciennes, 1835

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes (Acanthuridae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands and French Polynesia, north to southern Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. Eastern Pacific: lower Gulf of California and Clipperton Island to Panama and the Galapagos Islands.

Range

30°N - 30°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

100 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 100 m (Ref. 9267), usually 5 - 90 m (Ref. 27115)

Trophic Level

2.87 s.e. 0.36 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

70.0 cm

Common Length

50.0 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: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (37 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.287; Tmax=34)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 4716)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated