Common names: sawtail (English), surgeonfish (English), cochinito (Espanol), navajón (Espanol)
 
Prionurus laticlavius (Valenciennes, 1846)


Razor sawtail


Body oval, compressed; a steep head profile; eye high on the head; a small protrusible mouth placed low on head; teeth moderately large, flattened, close set, with strongly tooth edges; dorsal fin VII-VIII,  27-28; anal rays III, 23; pelvic I, 5; 3 bony nobs along each side of middle of tail base; scales very small, rough; lateral line complete.


Grey with bright yellow tail fin; a few black spots on tail base; a dark bar through eye and another through shoulder; small juveniles are mainly yellow.


Maximum size, about 60 cm.


Habitat: rocky reefs; often occurs in large schools.

Depth: between 0-30 m.

The SW Gulf of California to Ecuador, plus the Galapagos Islands, Cocos, Malpelo, with stragglers at the Revillagigedos and the mouth of the Gulf of California. Most abundant south of ~10N