Acanthurus leucosternon
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes)
Acanthurus
Acanthurus leucosternon
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: short and / or deep. Blue with a white chest (Ref. 3145). Head black with a broad white band from pectoral-fin base to throat. No distinct white spot or broad white band below eye. Dorsal fin yellow (except white margin and black submarginal line). Anal and pelvic fins white (Ref 9808).
Description: Characterized further by having white band at base of lips; white caudal fin; length of caudal spine 2.5-3.0 in head length; greatest depth of body 1.7-1.9 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Distribution
Indian Ocean: eastern Africa to the Andaman Sea, southwest Indonesia and Christmas Island; with range extended to Bali, Indonesia in Western Pacific (Ref. 37792).
Habitat Associations
Marine. reef-associated. depth range 0-25 m. Found in: coral reefs.
Biology
Inhabits shallow, clear coastal and island coral reefs (Ref. 9710). Usually found on reef flats and along upper seaward slopes (Ref. 9710). May occur singly or in large feeding aggregations. Monogamous (Ref. 52884). Feeds on benthic algae; on small, sparsely scattered algae and small growths in crevices (Ref. 28026). Caught with nets (Ref. 30573). Marketed fresh.
Max length: 54.0 cm TL; common length: 19.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; mating system: monogamy; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Paired spawning (Ref. 240). Monogamous mating is observed as both obligate and social (Ref. 52884).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2010-05-03. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor 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.
Randall, J.E. (1956) A revision of the surgeonfish genus Acanthurus. Pac. Sci. 10(2):159-235.
Randall, J.E. (1986) Acanthuridae. p. 811-823. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Lieske, E. and R. Myers (1994) Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
Randall, J.E. (2001) Acanthuridae. Surgeonfishes (tangs, unicornfishes). p. 3653-3683. In K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome.
Sommer, C., W. Schneider and J.-M. Poutiers (1996) FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of Somalia. FAO, Rome. 376 p.
Whiteman, E.A. and I.M. Côté (2004) Monogamy in marine fishes. Biol. Rev. 79:351-375.
Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdmann (2012) Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth, Australia: Universitiy of Hawai'i Press, Volumes I-III. Tropical Reef Research.
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