Orangespine unicornfish
📖 Overview
Found in areas of coral, rock, or rubble of lagoon and seaward reefs, Ref. 48637. Benthopelagic . Adults usually in small groups. Juveniles in shallow rocky reefs, sometimes in small aggregations mixed with other acanthurids of similar size . Feed mainly on leafy brown algae (Sargassum and Dictyota). Sometimes in large aggregations . Very seldom poisonous . Pair-spawning has been observed.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26 - 29; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 27 - 30. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VI (rarely V or VII),26-29(modally 27); A II,27-30 (rarely 27 or 30); pectoral rays usually 17; body depths of adults 2.6-3.0 in SL; head dorsal profile sloping and smoothly convex (forehead no horn nor protuberances); two large peduncular plates, the keels with forward-projecting points in adults; caudal fin emaginate in young and truncate in adults; body brown to bluish gray, ventral half yellowish gray to yellow, the demarcation along middle of side often abrupt and irregular; edge of opercle and preopercle usually with a dark brown band; margin of lower lip broadly white with upper surface of tongue black in adults; gill rakers are blackish basally; blue caudal fin with a broad, brownish yellow, posterior border which narrows toward corners of fin; it is capable of changing overall into light grayish blue, as when at a cleaning station; when in courtship the males quickly display a broad, bluish white zone on the nape and anterior part of the body , followed by narrow bars of the same color that extend onto lower side . : short and / or deep; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Orangespine unicornfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Probably spawn in pairs .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 90 m , usually 5 - 30 m . Tropical; 35°N - 30°S, 105°E - 130°W East Indian Ocean from Christmas Pacific Ocean: Honshu, Japan south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia and east to the Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia, and Pitcairn.
🌿 Ecology
leafy brown algae (Sargassum and Dictyota)
📐 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 | Barcheek Unicornfish · Black-finned Unicornfish · Clown Surgeonfish · Clown Tang · Clown Unicornfish · Lipstick Surgeonfish · Masked Unicornfish · Naso trang · Orange Spine Surgeonfish · Orange-spine Unicorn · Orange-spine Unicornfish · Orangespine unicornfish · Pacific Orange-spine Unicornfish · Pacific Orangespine Unicornfish · Pacific orange-spine Unicorn · Poll Unicornfish · Redlip Surgeonfish · Smooth-head Unicornfish · Smooth-headed Unicornfish · Stripe-face Unicornfish · Stripe-faced Unicorn Fish · Stripe-faced Unicorn-fish · Striped Unicornfish · Striped-faced Unicornfish · striped-face unicornfish |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | Rahu · الناسو |
| 🏳️Catalan | Peix unicorn d'espina taronja del Pacífic |
| 🌍CES | bodlok bezrohý |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Maskeret Næsehornsfisk |
| 🇩🇪German | Gelbklingen-Nasendoktorfisch · Nashornfisch · Ungehörnter Hornbader |
| 🌍DIV | Ammas · Ran geri |
| 🌍FIJ | Damasi ni tubalevu · Jivijivi ni nausori · Lewa ni tataga · Nuqa ta · Sila · Ta · Ta nuqa · Ta vusaroi · Tivitvi ni ta · Umarei |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Silosarvikala |
| 🇫🇷French | Nason à Eperons Oranges · Nason à éperons orange · Nason à éperons orange du Pacifique |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | rúzsos doktorhal |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Pesce Federica orientale · Pesce unicorno arancione orientale · Pesce unicorno elegante orientale · Pesce unicorno spine arancioni orientale |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Miyako tengu hagi · Miyako-tenguhagi · Miyakotenguhagi · ミヤコテングハギ |
| 🇰🇷Korean | 제주표문쥐치 |
| 🌍LIT | Geltondyglė raganosė |
| 🌍MAL | കണ്കെട്ടിയന് · കന്കിട്ടിയര് · കറുക്കന് · കറൂക്കന് |
| 🌍MSA | Barat-barat · Debam-taji jingga |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Koekopvis |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Rożec skrobacz |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Peixe-unicórnio-de-espinho-laranja |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Оранжевошипый носач |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Barbero de Aguijón Naranja · Pez Unicornio de Espina Naranja |
| 🌍TAH | ume tarei |
| 🌍TGL | Indangan · Isdang ilong · Labahita · Silba · Tudluan · Yapot |
| 🌍THA | ปลายูนิคอร์นหัวเรียบ |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 黑背鼻魚 |
🦠 Common Diseases
The following diseases are known to affect Orangespine unicornfish.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 27 records indexed .
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