Yellowfin surgeonfish
📖 Overview
Live in various reef habitats, sand slopes and lagoons . Juveniles inhabit shallow, protected, turbid inshore waters while adults prefer deeper areas of protected bays and lagoons. Also in outer reef areas . Benthopelagic . Schooling species, feed on diatoms, detritus film of sand, filamentous algae, hydroids, and pieces of fish . Probably the only surgeonfish that readily takes bait .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
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. : short and / or deep; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Yellowfin surgeonfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
Acanthurus xanthopterus feeds on diatoms, detritus film of sand, filamentous algae, hydroids, and pieces of fish. It is probably the only surgeonfish that readily takes bait.
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 100 m , usually 5 - 90 m . Tropical; 24°C - 28°C ; 35°N - 35°S, 23°E - 77°W East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands and French Polynesia, north to southern Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.
🌿 Ecology
diatoms, detritus film of sand, filamentous algae, hydroids, and pieces of fish (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
⚠️ Venom Profile
- immediate intense pain
- swelling
- erythema
- occasional nausea and weakness
Analgesia; wound care; tetanus prophylaxis; severe cases may require monitoring for systemic effects.
References: Compiled from Bhide (2018), Halstead et al. (1988) and family-specific envenomation literature
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Cuvier's Surgeonfish · Purple Surgeonfish · Ring-tailed Surgeonfish · Ringtailed surgeonfish · Yellow-mask Surgeon · Yellow-masked Surgeon · Yellowfin Surgeonfish · Yellowmask Surgeonfish |
| 🌍AFR | Geelvin-doktervis |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | Anfoos · Fardh · Faridh |
| 🏳️Catalan | Peix cirurgià d'aleta groga |
| 🌍CES | bodlok žlutoploutvý |
| 🌍CHA | Hugupao · Ugupao |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Gulfinnet Kirurgfisk |
| 🇩🇪German | Gelbflossen-Doktorfisch |
| 🌍EST | Kollasemaskiga kirurgkala |
| 🌍FIJ | Balagi · Balagi nawa · Iakere |
| 🇫🇷French | Chirurgien aile jaune · Chirurgien à ailes jaunes · Chirurgien à nageoires jaunes · Chirurgien à nageoires jaunes, Poisson docteur à nageoires jaunes · Chirurgien à pectorale jaune · Poisson Docteur à Nageoires Jaunes |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Pesce chirurgo di Cuvier · Pesce chirurgo pinna gialla · Pesce chirurgo pinne gialle |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Kurohagi · クロハギ |
| 🌍MAH | Kabat |
| 🌍MSA | Barat-barat · Debam · Debam sirip kuning · Dengkis |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Cirurgião Barbatana Amarela |
| 🌍SIN | Orava · Peela |
| 🌍SOM | Kaxan |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Chancho Aleta Amarilla · Cirujano de Aleta Amarilla · Navajón Aleta Amarilla · Pez Cirujano · Pez Cirujano Púrpura · cirujano aleta amarilla |
| 🌍TAH | Parai · para'i |
| 🌍TGL | Indangan · Labahita · Mangadlit |
| 🌍THA | ปลาขี้ตังเบ็ดปีกเหลือง |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 黃鰭刺尾魚 · 黃鰭刺尾鯛 |
🦠 Common Diseases
The following diseases are known to affect Yellowfin surgeonfish.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 25 records indexed .
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