Moorish Idols

The family Zanclidae consists of only one species: Zanclus cornutus, the Moorish Idol. It is characterized by a lack of spines along the caudal peduncle, a spine at the corner of the mouth in juveniles and protuberances in front of the eyes of adults. it bears a resemblance to the butterflyfish Heniochus acuminatus, another popular aquarium fish.

Indo-pan-Pacific. Monotypic. Strongly compressed discoid body. Tubular snout with a small mouth containing numerous elongate bristle-like teeth. Dorsal spines elongated into a whip-like filament. Common inhabitant of coral reefs. It has a long larval stage and settles at a large size (> 6 cm SL), resulting in a widespread distribution. Included by some authors in Acanthuridae from which it differs mainly in lacking a peduncular spine.