Scientific Name
Zebrasoma velifer

Common Name
Sailfin tang

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 4 - 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 29-33; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 23 - 26. Smalls juveniles have alternating yellow and black bars. No brush-like patch of setae posteriorly on side of body. Dorsal fin very elevated, the longest ray 2.1 to 2.5 times in SL (Ref 9808).

Classification

Classified By

Bloch, 1795

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes (Acanthuridae)

Distribution

Region

Western Indian Ocean

Distribution

Western Indian Ocean: Mozambique (Ref. 41878). Pacific Ocean: Indonesia to the Hawaiian and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, and Rapa Island. Replaced by the similar Zebrasoma desjardinii in the Indian Ocean.

Range

29°N - 25°S, 33°E - 140°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

30 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 30 m (Ref. 58302), usually 2 - 30 m (Ref. 27115)

Trophic Level

2 s.e. 0.00 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

40.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5078 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

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.282; Tmax=27)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated