Family : Kyphosidae (Sea chubs) , subfamily: Kyphosinae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Blue seachub
Fish Name : Kyphosus cinerascens
Max size : 50.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 6642)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 1 - 45 m
Climate : tropical; 35°N - 30°S
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.25)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian, Line and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 11-12. Grey with dusky fins. When small or sub-adult with pale scale centers forming horizontal lines along scale rows. Soft parts of dorsal and anal fins elongated anteriorly, resulting in near vertical rear margins. Snout more angled down compared to other species (Ref. 48636).
Biology : Found in aggregations over hard, algal coated bottoms of exposed, surf-swept outer reef flats, lagoon and seaward reefs, to a depth of at least 24 m (Ref. 30573). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Juveniles associated with floating material (Ref. 58302). Mainly herbivorous, feeding on seaweed and associated invertebrates (Ref. 30573). Appear to be more commonly involved in hallucinogenic fish poisoning than most other related species (Ref. 4690). Caught with other types of artisanal gear. Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 30874
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : poisonous to eat , Halstead, B.W., P.S. Auerbach and D.R. Campbell. 1990
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Myers, R.F.. 1991. (Ref. 1602)

India country information
Common Names : പുഞ്ഞി, தென்டலா, കാക്കുരാട്ടി, കാക്കുരട്ടി , தென்டலா , പുന്ജി , Ashen drummer, Kakkuratti, Kiruliamas, Punji, Thendala
Status : native
Salinity : brackish, marine
Uses : no uses