Introducing our June Fish of the Month, the Striped Surgeonfish, Acanthurus lineatus!
Survey Regions: Striped Surgeonfish are found throughout the Indo-Pacific, from Eastern Africa to Indonesia, Micronesia, the Solomon Islands, and French Polynesia, covering a wide area that spans several REEF regions including the Central-Indo Pacific (CIP), South Pacific (SOP), and Indian Ocean & Red Sea (IORS.) Here are links to the distribution reports in the REEF database for this species: CIP, SOP, IORS.
Size: They grow to a maximum of 15 inches.
Identifying Features: Striped Surgeonfish are gold with black-edged blue stripes and a pale bluish belly. Most of their fins have bright blue edging.
Fun Facts: Striped Surgeonfish have a sharp, venomous spine on each side of their tail base. They can frequently be found in shallow, surge-swept areas, where they feed on algae. They can be territorial and will chase other fish away from their designated feeding areas.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Stacey Henderson.