Adults inhabit hard substrate areas of clear lagoon and seaward reefs from the lower surge zone to at least 67 m and feeds on filamentous algae. Solitary or in groups . Monogamous . Benthopelagic . Small juveniles shy among large corals . Territorial species. Common throughout Micronesia and hybridizes with the rare A. achilles. Size of metamorphosis from the postlarva stage to juvenile is 5.5 to 6 cm . Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 28 - 31; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 26 - 28. A horizontally elongate white blotch directly below eye. No orange band in outer part of dorsal fin. Caudal peduncle black except for yellow edge of socket and sheath of peduncular spine. Base of pectoral fin black (ref 9808).Gill rakers on anterior row:17-19, on posterior row:18-20. : short and / or deep.
Behavioural data for Whitecheek surgeonfish is currently being reviewed.
Monogamous mating is observed as both facultative and social .
Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory ; depth range 0 - 67 m , usually 2 - 67 m . Tropical; 21°C - 29°C ; 30°N - 24°S known only from Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island.
filamentous algae
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Black Surgeonfish · Blackear Surgeonfish · Gold-rim Tang · Golden Rim Surgeonfish · Goldrim Surgeonfish · Gray Surgeonfish · Velvet Surgeon · Velvet Surgeonfish · White-cheeked surgeonfish · Whitecheek surgeonfish · Whiteface Surgeonfish · Whitetail Surgeonfish · Yellow Spotted Surgeonfish · Yellow-banded Surgeonfish · Yellowfin tang · Yellowrimmed Surgeonfish · backsurgeonfish |
| 🏳️Catalan | Peix cirurgià de galta blanca |
| 🌍CES | bodlok zlatolemý |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Hvidhovedet Kirurgfisk |
| 🇩🇪German | Goldrand-Doktorfisch |
| 🌍FIJ | dridri |
| 🇫🇷French | Chirurgien Noirâtre · Chirurgien à joue blanche · Chirurgien à joue blanche, Chirurgien à marques jaunes · Chirurgien à joues blanches · Chirurgien à marques jaunes |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Pesce chirurgo bruno |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Megane-kurohagi · Meganekurohagi · メガネクロハギ |
| 🌍MAH | Bir · Tiebro-ael |
| 🌍MAL | പല · പാള · Pala |
| 🌍MSA | Botana biru palsu · Dengkis |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Cirurgião-veludo |
| 🌍SMO | I'usina · Laulama |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Cirujano Filo Amarillo · Cirujano de Cara Blanca · Navajón Cariblanco · Pez Cirujano · Pez Cirujano de Filo Amarillo · cirujano cariblanco |
| 🌍SWA | Kangaja |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Filippinsk Kirurgfisk |
| 🌍TAH | Maito a'au · maito a'au, maito 'aero 'uo'uo |
| 🌍TGL | Dabahita · Labahita · Papakol · Samarel |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 白面刺尾鯛 |
The following diseases are known to affect Whitecheek surgeonfish.
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 16 records indexed .
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