Acanthurus gahhm

Acanthurus gahhm
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Perciformes
Family:Acanthuridae
Genus:Acanthurus
Species: A. gahhm
Binomial name
Acanthurus gahhm
(Forsskål, 1775)

Acanthurus gahhm is a species of fish in the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes. Its common name is black surgeonfish.[1] It is endemic to the western Indian Ocean, where it occurs in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and Socotra.[1]

Description

This fish reaches up to 50 centimeters in length. It is oval in shape and laterally compressed. Like other surgeonfishes, it swims with its pectoral fins. The caudal fin has a crescent shape. The mouth is small and pointed. The body is black to dark brown, with a white ring around the base of the tail and a yellow stripe around the eyes. The pectoral fins are tipped with yellow.[2]

Biology

This is a demersal fish. It lives on reefs and in lagoons and other sandy areas up to 40 meters deep.[3]

This species is omnivorous, feeding on algae, zooplankton and other small invertebrates, and detritus. It is active during the day and may swim in groups or remain solitary.[4]

Uses

This species is kept in aquaria and harvested for food.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Abesamis, R., et al. 2012. Acanthurus gahhm. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Downloaded on 29 March 2015.
  2. ↑ Allen, et al. Reef Fish Identification: Tropical Pacific. New World Publications, Inc., 2003. ISBN 1878348361
  3. ↑ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2014). "Acanthurus gahhm" in FishBase. May 2014 version.
  4. ↑ Vilcinskas, A. La vie sous-marine des tropiques. Vigot, 2002. ISBN 2711415252
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