Acanthurus achilles
Achilles Tang
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes)
Acanthurus
Acanthurus achilles (Achilles Tang)
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: short and / or deep. Dark brown, nearly black in color. Erectile spine (sharp and forward-pointing) on each side of caudal peduncle which folds down into a groove. Mouth small, snout noticeably extended. Light blue ring around chin and presence of spot of same color on gill cover at angle of gill opening. Dorsal fin with soft part having longer base than spinous part. Juveniles lack the large orange spot on caudal area. Striking features: none.
Distribution
Western Pacific: oceanic islands of Oceania to the Hawaiian and Pitcairn islands. Also known from Wake, Marcus, and Mariana islands. Eastern Central Pacific: southern tip of Baja California, Mexico (Ref. 9267) and other offshore islands.
Habitat Associations
Marine. reef-associated. depth range 0-10 m. Found in: coral reefs.
Biology
Occurs in clear seaward reefs, usually in groups (Ref. 9710). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feeds on filamentous and small fleshy algae (Ref. 9267). Monogamous (Ref. 52884). Spine in caudal peduncle may be venomous. Size of metamorphosis from postlarva stage to juvenile is 6 cm (Ref. 9267). This species sometimes hybridizes with A. nigricans (Ref. 9808).
Max length: 24.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; mating system: monogamy; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Monogamous mating is observed as both facultative and social (Ref. 52884).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2010-05-03. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial.
References
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Hiatt, R.W. and D.W. Strasburg (1960) Ecological relationships of the fish fauna on coral reefs of the Marshall Islands. Ecol. Monogr. 30(1):65-127.
Myers, R.F. (1991) Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p.
Randall, J.E. (1956) A revision of the surgeonfish genus Acanthurus. Pac. Sci. 10(2):159-235.
Randall, J.E. (1985) Guide to Hawaiian reef fishes. Harrowood Books, Newtown Square, PA 19073, USA. 74 p.
Lieske, E. and R. Myers (1994) Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
Baensch, H.A. and H. Debelius (1997) SF457.1 .B3513 1994 Mergus Verlag GmbH, Postfach 86, 49302, Melle, Germany. 1216 p. 3rd edition.
Randall, J.E. (2001) Surgeonfishes of Hawai'i and the world.. Mutual Publishing and Bishop Museum Press, Hawai'i. 123 p.
Whiteman, E.A. and I.M. Côté (2004) Monogamy in marine fishes. Biol. Rev. 79:351-375.
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