Lined surgeonfish

(Acanthurus lineatus)


Facts

Lined surgeonfish IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

 

Facts about this animal

The lined, or bluebanded, or clown surgeon is a striking surgeonfish with horizontal, black-edged blue stripes interspersed with yellow, and bluish-grey underside. The pectoral fins are pale with dusky rays; the pelvic fins light yellowish brown with black outer margin; the caudal fin has vertical markings.

The lined surgeon attains a length of 38 cm.

The body is covered with minute scales. The dorsal fin has 9 spines and 27-30 soft rays, the anal fin 3 spines and 25-28 soft rays. There is an erectile spine on each side of caudal peduncle, which is sharp, strong, forward-pointing, and venomous, and can cause painful wounds.

Adult lined surgeons usually forms schools and are commonly found in shallow gutters, where they feed on algae. Juveniles are solitary and secretive, living on shallow rubble habitats.

Did you know?
that, in aquariums, the diet of the lined surgeonfish may include vegetarian items such as zucchini, broccoli, and leaf lettuce?


 

Factsheet
Class ACTINOPTERYGII
Order PERCIFORMES
Suborder ACANTHUROIDEI
Family ANANTHURIDAE
Name (Scientific) Acanthurus lineatus
Name (English) Lined surgeonfish
Name (French) Chirurgien zèbre
Name (German) Blaustreifen-Doktorfisch
Name (Spanish) Pez cirujano listado
Local names Afrikaans: Blouband-doktervis
Bahasa Indonesia: Botana kasur
Bahasa Malaysia: Debam, Dengkis
kiSwahili: Kingoye
CITES Status Not listed
CMS Status Not listed

 

 

Photo Copyright by
Ewa Barska

Distribution

 


Distribution
Range Indian Ocean from the coast of East Africa and the Mascarene Islands to the Pacific up to Hawaiian, Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. Replaced by the closely related Acanthurus sohal in the Red Sea.
Habitat Coral reefs, from the surface to 15 m depth.
Wild population Unkown
Zoo population Considering that most publc aquaria are not part of the WAZA system and do not register their collections with ISIS, available ISIS data are not significant.

In the Zoo

Lined surgeonfish

 

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 51 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Fish must be unpacked carefully and under low illumination.

 

Find this animal on ZooLex

 

Photo Copyright by
Strobilomayes

Why do zoos keep this animal

Lined surgeonfish are not an endangered species but their habitats, coral reefs, are threatened in many places. They are thus presented by zoos and aquariums as an ambassador species for reef protection.