D VIII,27-31; A III,24-28; P 16-17. Body depth 1.9-2.3 in SL; upper
teeth with 5-7 denticulations (including tip) on lateral edge of distal
expanded ends; lower teeth with 4 lateral denticulations; adults with as
many as 45 upper and 53 lower jaw teeth; C lunate, concavity 3.7-6.0 in
SL. Body dark brown with numerous blue longitudinal lines; small orange
spots on head; soft portion of D and A with about 5 narrow lengthwise
dark bluish bands.
Attains about 26 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Natal. One of
the most abundant reef fishes. Feeds on fine detrital and
soft algal material by a combination of whisking with its
flexible comb-like teeth and suction.
243.15 Ctenochaetus strigosus
(Bennett, 1828)
PLATE 130
Spotted bristletooth
Gespikkelde borseltand
Acanthurus strigosus Bennett, 1828: 41 (Hawaiian Ids.). Ctenochaetus
strigosus: Randall, 1955: 159*. Ctenochaetus striatus (non Quoy &
Gaimard): Smith, 1961: 518, No. 614a (in part).
D VIII,25-27; A III,22-25; P 15-16. Body depth 1.7-2.0 in SL; upper
teeth with 5 denticulations (including tip) on lateral edge of distal
expanded ends; lower teeth with 3 lateral denticulations (including tip);
adults with as many as 47 upper and 60 lower teeth; C emarginate, concavity 13-20 in SL. Body dark brown with numerous blue dots.
Largest specimen, 18 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Natal.
Not common except in Hawaii (where C. striatus is absent).
Population differences are evident within the range of this
species. In Pacific fish the C is more emarginate (concavity
5.7-10 in SL) and the body has blue longitudinal lines similar to C. striatus; in Hawaiian fish, there is a conspicuous
yellow ring around the eye; in fish from French Polynesia,
the ring is less evident and C is white. The caudal spine once
reported as venomous.
243.15 Ctenochaetus strigosus: 12.5 em (N. Mozambique).
Genus Paracanthurus Bleeker, 1863
Monotypic.
243: ACANTHURIDAE (SURGEONFISHES, UNICORNFISHES)
243.16 Paracanthurus hepatus
(Linnaeus, 1766)
PLATE 130
Palette surgeon
Palet -doktervis
Teuthis hepatus Linnaeus, 1766: 507 (in part; sea of the Indies). Acanthurus theuthis Lacepede, 1802: 547, 549. Paracanthurus theuthis: Smith,
SFSA No. 607*. Paracanthurus hepatus: Randall, 1955: 408*.
D IX,19-20; A III,18-19; P 16; V 1,3 (1,5 for other Acanthurinae). Body
depth of adults about 2.3 in SL; caudal spine about 4 in head; 12 upper and
14 lower jaw teeth at 140 mm SL, and 14 upper and 17 lower teeth at
204 mm SL. C of juveniles slightly rounded, of adults truncate, lobe tips
slightly projecting. Colour bright blue, yellow and black; pattern distinctive, see illustration.
Attains about 26 cm. Natal to central Pacific. In the
Pacific, the body is blue ventrally instead of yellowish.
Poorly represented in museum collections. Feeds on zooplankton. Generally found on reefs in clear water with moderate to strong current; the young hide among branches of
live coral.
Genus Zebrasoma Swainson, 1839
Six species, 3 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Longest Dray 2.1-2.5 in SL; body with alternating
dark and light bars .............................................. Z. veliferum
Ib Longest Dray 2.7-4.0 in SL; body without dark and
light bars ......................................................................... 2
2a D V (rarely IV), 23-25; A III,19-21; yellowish
brown anteriorly, shading to dark brown posteriorly
(including C), with wavy, light blue, longitudinal
lines on body and light blue dots on nape, chest
and head ............................................................... Z. scopas
2b D IV,27-29; A III ,24-25; dark brown with pale
blue dots on head, body, and D and A; C yellow
or yellowish brown ............................................ Z. gemmatum
243.17 Zebrasoma gemma tum
(Valenciennes, 1835)
Spotted tang
Gespikkelde tang
Acanthurus gemmatus Valenciennes, in Cuv. and Val., 1835: 255
(Mauritius). Zebrasoma gemmatum: Randall, 1955: 401*; Smith, 1965:
30*; 1966: 5, PI. 2, Fig. A only (in part; description and illustration of
Mauritius specimen from a painting by Nicholas Pike is of Z. scopas).
D IV,27-28; A III,24-25; P 16-17. Body depth 1.7-1.9, longest D ray
3.0-3.1 in SL; no patch of setae on side of body anterior to caudal spine; 15
upper and 17 lower teeth at 121 mm SL, and 18 upper and 20 lower teeth at
179 mm SL. C truncate.
Largest specimen examined, 22 cm. Mauritius, Madagascar, Sodwana Bay and 3 specimens from Durban. A rare
species; usually encountered at depths greater than 25 m.
817
teeth with 5-7 denticulations (including tip) on lateral edge of distal
expanded ends; lower teeth with 4 lateral denticulations; adults with as
many as 45 upper and 53 lower jaw teeth; C lunate, concavity 3.7-6.0 in
SL. Body dark brown with numerous blue longitudinal lines; small orange
spots on head; soft portion of D and A with about 5 narrow lengthwise
dark bluish bands.
Attains about 26 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Natal. One of
the most abundant reef fishes. Feeds on fine detrital and
soft algal material by a combination of whisking with its
flexible comb-like teeth and suction.
243.15 Ctenochaetus strigosus
(Bennett, 1828)
PLATE 130
Spotted bristletooth
Gespikkelde borseltand
Acanthurus strigosus Bennett, 1828: 41 (Hawaiian Ids.). Ctenochaetus
strigosus: Randall, 1955: 159*. Ctenochaetus striatus (non Quoy &
Gaimard): Smith, 1961: 518, No. 614a (in part).
D VIII,25-27; A III,22-25; P 15-16. Body depth 1.7-2.0 in SL; upper
teeth with 5 denticulations (including tip) on lateral edge of distal
expanded ends; lower teeth with 3 lateral denticulations (including tip);
adults with as many as 47 upper and 60 lower teeth; C emarginate, concavity 13-20 in SL. Body dark brown with numerous blue dots.
Largest specimen, 18 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Natal.
Not common except in Hawaii (where C. striatus is absent).
Population differences are evident within the range of this
species. In Pacific fish the C is more emarginate (concavity
5.7-10 in SL) and the body has blue longitudinal lines similar to C. striatus; in Hawaiian fish, there is a conspicuous
yellow ring around the eye; in fish from French Polynesia,
the ring is less evident and C is white. The caudal spine once
reported as venomous.
243.15 Ctenochaetus strigosus: 12.5 em (N. Mozambique).
Genus Paracanthurus Bleeker, 1863
Monotypic.
243: ACANTHURIDAE (SURGEONFISHES, UNICORNFISHES)
243.16 Paracanthurus hepatus
(Linnaeus, 1766)
PLATE 130
Palette surgeon
Palet -doktervis
Teuthis hepatus Linnaeus, 1766: 507 (in part; sea of the Indies). Acanthurus theuthis Lacepede, 1802: 547, 549. Paracanthurus theuthis: Smith,
SFSA No. 607*. Paracanthurus hepatus: Randall, 1955: 408*.
D IX,19-20; A III,18-19; P 16; V 1,3 (1,5 for other Acanthurinae). Body
depth of adults about 2.3 in SL; caudal spine about 4 in head; 12 upper and
14 lower jaw teeth at 140 mm SL, and 14 upper and 17 lower teeth at
204 mm SL. C of juveniles slightly rounded, of adults truncate, lobe tips
slightly projecting. Colour bright blue, yellow and black; pattern distinctive, see illustration.
Attains about 26 cm. Natal to central Pacific. In the
Pacific, the body is blue ventrally instead of yellowish.
Poorly represented in museum collections. Feeds on zooplankton. Generally found on reefs in clear water with moderate to strong current; the young hide among branches of
live coral.
Genus Zebrasoma Swainson, 1839
Six species, 3 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Longest Dray 2.1-2.5 in SL; body with alternating
dark and light bars .............................................. Z. veliferum
Ib Longest Dray 2.7-4.0 in SL; body without dark and
light bars ......................................................................... 2
2a D V (rarely IV), 23-25; A III,19-21; yellowish
brown anteriorly, shading to dark brown posteriorly
(including C), with wavy, light blue, longitudinal
lines on body and light blue dots on nape, chest
and head ............................................................... Z. scopas
2b D IV,27-29; A III ,24-25; dark brown with pale
blue dots on head, body, and D and A; C yellow
or yellowish brown ............................................ Z. gemmatum
243.17 Zebrasoma gemma tum
(Valenciennes, 1835)
Spotted tang
Gespikkelde tang
Acanthurus gemmatus Valenciennes, in Cuv. and Val., 1835: 255
(Mauritius). Zebrasoma gemmatum: Randall, 1955: 401*; Smith, 1965:
30*; 1966: 5, PI. 2, Fig. A only (in part; description and illustration of
Mauritius specimen from a painting by Nicholas Pike is of Z. scopas).
D IV,27-28; A III,24-25; P 16-17. Body depth 1.7-1.9, longest D ray
3.0-3.1 in SL; no patch of setae on side of body anterior to caudal spine; 15
upper and 17 lower teeth at 121 mm SL, and 18 upper and 20 lower teeth at
179 mm SL. C truncate.
Largest specimen examined, 22 cm. Mauritius, Madagascar, Sodwana Bay and 3 specimens from Durban. A rare
species; usually encountered at depths greater than 25 m.
817