Acanthurus is the type genus of the family Acanthuridae. Approximately half of all members of the family are members of the genus Acanthurus. They are found in tropical oceans, especially near coral reefs, with most species in the Indo-Pacific, but a few are found in the Atlantic Ocean. As other members of the family, they have a pair of spines, one on either side of the base of the tail, which are dangerously sharp (hence the name "surgeonfish"). Depending on species, they grow to a maximum length of 15–50 cm (6–20 in). Many are very colourful and consequently popular in the marine aquarium trade.

Species

• Achilles tang, Acanthurus achilles Shaw, 1803
• Whitefin surgeonfish, Acanthurus albipectoralis Allen & Ayling, 1987
• Orange-socket surgeonfish, Acanthurus auranticavus Randall, 1956
• Black-spot surgeonfish, Acanthurus bariene Lesson, 1831
• Ringtail surgeonfish, Acanthurus blochii Valenciennes, 1835
• Doctorfish tang, Acanthurus chirurgus (Bloch, 1787)
• Chronixis surgeonfish, Acanthurus chronixis Randall, 1960
• Atlantic Blue tang surgeonfish, Acanthurus coeruleus Bloch & Schneider, 1801
• Eyestripe surgeonfish, Acanthurus dussumieri Valenciennes, 1835
• Fowler's surgeonfish, Acanthurus fowleri de Beaufort, 1951
• Black surgeonfish, Acanthurus gahhm (Forsskål, 1775)
• Finelined surgeonfish, Acanthurus grammoptilus Richardson, 1843
• Whitespotted surgeonfish, Acanthurus guttatus Forster, 1801
• Japan surgeonfish, Acanthurus japonicus (Schmidt, 1931)
• Palelipped surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucocheilus Herre, 1927
• Whitebar surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucopareius (Jenkins, 1903)
• Powderblue surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucosternon Bennett, 1833
• Lined surgeonfish, Acanthurus lineatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Manini Acanthurus triosegus

• White-freckled surgeonfish, Acanthurus maculiceps (Ahl, 1923)
• Elongate surgeonfish, Acanthurus mata (Cuvier, 1829)
• Monrovia doctorfish, Acanthurus monroviae Steindachner, 1876
• Whitecheek surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigricans (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Epaulette surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigricauda Duncker & Mohr, 1929
• Brown surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigrofuscus (Forsskål, 1775)
• Bluelined surgeonfish, Acanthurus nigroris Valenciennes, 1835
• Bluelined surgeon, Acanthurus nubilus (Fowler & Bean, 1929)
• Orangespot surgeonfish, Acanthurus olivaceus Bloch & Schneider, 1801
• Black-barred surgeonfish, Acanthurus polyzona (Bleeker, 1868)
• Chocolate surgeonfish, Acanthurus pyroferus Kittlitz, 1834
• Gulf surgeonfish, Acanthurus randalli Briggs & Caldwell, 1957
• Acanthurus reversus Randall & Earle, 1999
• Sohal surgeonfish, Acanthurus sohal (Forsskål, 1775)
• Doubleband surgeonfish, Acanthurus tennentii Günther, 1861
• Thompson's surgeonfish, Acanthurus thompsoni (Fowler, 1923)
• Ocean surgeonfish, Acanthurus bahianus Poey, 1860^[2]
• Convict surgeonfish, Acanthurus triostegus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Indian Ocean mimic surgeonfish, Acanthurus tristis Randall, 1993.
• Yellowfin surgeonfish, Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835

Fossil species

The four fossil species known from the Lutetian epoch, of the Eocene lagerstatte of Monte Bolca, have recently been placed in their own genus, Proacanthurus, and are considered ancestral to Acanthurus.^[3]

• †Proacanthurus Blot & Tyler 1990
  • †P. bonatoi Blot & Tyler 1990
  • †P. elongatus Blot & Tyler 1990
  • †P. ovalis (Agassiz 1844)
  • †P. tenuis (Agassiz 1835)

References

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