Fishes of Hawai'i
Family Acanthuridae - Surgeonfishes
Acanthurus achilles - Achilles
tang - Päku`iku`i  |
|
| Description: Black body with a bright orange
teardrop-shape patch on knife; has a white marking at the edge of the gill cover and a
high number of dorsal soft rays (29 - 33). |
| Size: to 25.4 cm |
| Habitat: found inshore in moderately turbulent water on
exposed reef areas. |
| Diet: herbivorous |
|
| Acanthurus blochii (mata) - Ringtail surgeonfish -
Pualu
|
|
| Description: Dark greenish gray with close-set lengthwise
rows of small lighter gray spots on the body. The caudal fin is dark blue with indistinct
dark vertical wavy lines in the middle and a white band at the base; prominent yellow spot
behind the eye. |
| Size: to 42.5 cm |
| Habitat: clear water well offshore and away from harbors. |
| Diet: herbivorous |
|
| Acanthurus dussumieri - Eye-stripe surgeonfish -
Palani
|
|
| Description: the palani is a colorful fish with its
black-spotted, bright blue caudal fin, fine blue lines on the body, yellow interocular
band, white caudal spine broadly edged in black, and yellow dorsal and anal fins banded
with blue. |
| Size: to 45 cm |
| Habitat: usually found resting under ledges, preferring
depths of 6 meters or more. |
| Diet: herbivorous |
|
| Acanthurus leucopareius - Whitebar surgeonfish -
Maiko
|
|
| Description: this species has a prominent white bar
behind the eye and a second on the caudal peduncle. Grayish brown in color with faint
bluish longitudinal lines visible. On the upper part of the body these lines consist of
rows of spots. |
| Size: to 25.4 cm |
| Habitat: often found in schools, either alone or with the
convict tang, and is common close to shore in shallow water |
| Diet: herbivorous |
|
| Acanthurus olivaceus - Orangeband surgeonfish -
Na`ena`e |
|
| Description: adults are identified by their blue-ringed
bright orange "bar" posterior to opercle, above pectoral. Color from light olive
to cleanly divided light and dark to completely dark. |
| Size: to 30 cm |
| Habitat: common on reefs where much of the bottom is
sandy |
| Diet: herbivorous |
|
| Acanthurus nigrofuscus - Lavender tang -
Mä`i`i`i
|
|
| Description: brown but with a definite lavender tinge and
small dull orange dots on face bluish border on anal fins. |
| Size: to 20 cm |
| Habitat: commonly seen schooling with convict tangs in
shallow water close to shore. |
| Diet: herbivorous . |
| Acanthurus nigroris - Bluelined surgeonfish -
Maiko
|
 |
| Description: dark brownish gray with fine somewhat wavy
blue longitudinal lines on body and two small dark spots above and below the base of the
tail. A white band is usually evident at the base of the tail. |
| Size: to 25.4 cm |
| Habitat: commonly seen on reefs at depths of 6 meters or
more. |
| Diet: herbivorous |
|
| Acanthurus triostegus - Convict tang -
Manini
|
|
| Description: light greenish to yellowish-white in color
with 5 vertical black bars |
| Size: to 30 cm |
| Habitat: common everywhere
except in areas of heavy coral
growth, they often browse the reef in large dense schools. Juveniles are found in
tide pools and inlets even where the water is brackish. |
| Diet: grazers on algae. . |
|
| Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis - Black surgeonfish |
 |
| Description: looks black, close look shows venuous lines
covering fish, lobate dorsal and anal fins, juveniles are orange with thicker lines |
| Size: to 27.5 cm |
| Habitat: juveniles are found in areas with lots of coral
from 60ft to 100 ft in depth, and adults are found in shallower depths |
| Diet: detritivore |
|
| Ctenochaetus strigosus - Goldring surgeonfish -
Kole
|
 |
| Description: orange ring around eye, brown body with
horizontal white stripes |
| Size: to 17.5 cm |
| Habitat: very common on shallow reefs to 150 ft + |
| Diet: detritivore |
|
| Naso lituratus - Orangespine unicorn -
Kala
|
 |
| Description: no horn; orange spots around blades, yellow
around eyes and orange lips; tail can have streamers |
| Size: to 45 cm |
| Habitat: common in shallow waters |
| Diet: herbivore: feeds mainly on brown algae; Sargassum,
Dictyota and others |
|
| Naso unicornis - Bluespine unicorn -
Kala
|
|
| Description: grayish
body with horn; blue spots around
blades |
| Size: to 67 cm |
| Habitat: can school in small groups and sometimes be
found in shallow waters |
| Diet: herbivores: feeds primarily on coarse leafy brown
algae  Hawaiian Uses
|
|
| Zanclus cornutus - Moorish idol -
Kihikihi |
|
| Description: orange on snout; yellow on side; eye well
above mouth |
| Size: up to 20cm |
| Habitat: Indo-Pacific and tropical regions; shallow to
relatively deep waters |
| Diet: omnivorous but feeds more on sponges than on algae |
|
| Zebrasoma flavescens - Yellow tang -
Lau`i Pala |
 |
| Description: all yellow, white blades |
| Size: to 20cm |
| Habitat: from shore to 150 ft, more common on leeward
sides of island |
| Diet: filamentous algae on hard substrata |
|
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