Acanthuridae
Acanthuridae is the family of surgeonfish, tangs, and unicornfish.
| Surgeonfish Temporal range: Eocene to Recent
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|---|---|
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| Sohal surgeonfish, Acanthurus sohal. The orange mark on the tail peduncle shows where the spine is folded in. | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Acanthuridae Bonaparte, 1832[1] |
| Genera | |
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The family includes about 86 living species. It is made up of marine fish living in tropical seas, usually around coral reefs. Many of the species are brightly colored and popular for aquaria.
One of the characteristics of this family is that they have spines on the tail (also known as "thorn tail").[2]
Morphology
Surgeonfish have dangerously sharp spines and can slash a person, causing serious injury. Most species of the family are of small size, between 15-40 cm (6-15 in), but the genera Prionorus or Naso can be larger. The whitemargin unicornfish is the largest species in the family.
Classification
- Subfamily Nasinae Fowler & Bean, 1929
- Genus Naso Lacépède, 1801
- Subfamily Acanthurinae Bonaparte, 1835
- Tribe Acanthurini Bonaparte, 1839
- Genus Acanthurus Forsskål 1775
- Genus Ctenochaetus Gill, 1884
- Tribe Prionurini J. L. B. Smith, 1966
- Genus Prionurus Lacépède, 1804
- Tribe Zebrasomini Winterbottom, 1993
- Genus Paracanthurus Bleeker, 1863
- Genus Zebrasoma Swainson, 1839
- Tribe Acanthurini Bonaparte, 1839
Extinct genera
Acanthuridae includes several extinct genera:
Eocene genera
- Proacanthurus
- Tylerichthys
- Gazolaichthys
- Naseus
- Tauichthys
- Eorandallius
- Metacanthurus
Oligocene genera
- Glarithurus
- Caprovesposus
- Arambourgthurus
- Eonaso
Miocene genera
In the aquarium
Tangs are very sensitive to disease in the home aquarium. It is necessary to quarantine the fishes before introducing them to the aquarium.
Acanthuridae Media
The exposed spine of the surgeonfish species Acanthurus xanthopterus 
1865 watercolor of an Acanthurus by Jacques Burkhardt.
Acronurus stage of an unidentified Acanthurus near Morotai
Eyestripe surgeonfish, Acanthurus dussumieri
Powderblue surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucosternon
Doubleband surgeonfish, Acanthurus tennenti
Kole tang, Ctenochaetus strigosus
Bignose unicornfish, Naso vlamingii
Bluespine unicornfish, Naso unicornis
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References
- ↑ "Institute for Biodiversity Science & Sustainability | California Academy of Sciences". Research.calacademy.org. July 27, 2014. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
- ↑ Froese, R.; Pauly, D. (February 2022). "FAMILY Details for Acanthuridae - Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes". www.fishbase.se. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
Other websites
- Data related to Acanthuridae at Wikidata