Family : Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes) , subfamily: Acanthurinae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Convict surgeonfish
Fish Name : Acanthurus triostegus
Max size : 27.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 3145)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 0 - 90 m
Climate : tropical; 24 - 26°C; 26°N - 36°S
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.35; assuming tm=2)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: throughout the region except for the seas around the Arabian Peninsula. Eastern Pacific: lower Gulf of California to Panama, including the Revillagigedo, Cocos, Clipperton, and Galapagos islands.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22-26; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 19-22. Body olivaceous gray, with 4 vertical stripes (1 stripe on head across the yellow eye; 1 on caudal peduncle); shading to white ventrally, often with a sharp line of demarcation. Sharp, forward-pointing, erectile spine on each side of caudal peduncle which folds down into a groove. Scales minute. Teeth with denticulations on sides and top. Gill rakers 18-22 in anterior row, 19-24 in posterior row.
Biology : Occur in lagoon and seaward reefs with hard substrate; young abundant in tide pools (Ref. 3145, 48637). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Often feeding near freshwater run-offs where certain algae grow on rocks that are grazed (Ref. 48637). Occasionally form schools; feed on filamentous algae in large aggregations. During spawning, clouds of eggs and sperm are preyed upon by eagle rays which are often present during spawning. Form spawning aggregations (Ref. 27825). Size of metamorphosis from post-larva stage to juvenile is 3.2 cm (Ref. 9267). Utilized as a food fish (Ref. 7364). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 27115
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : reports of ciguatera poisoning , Halstead, B.W., P.S. Auerbach and D.R. Campbell. 1990
Coordinator : Randall, John E.
Main Ref : Randall, J.E.. 1956. (Ref. 1920)

India country information
Common Names : கோழி மீன், നെലാലന്, വരിപ്പാറ, கோழீமீன், കുറിച്ചില്, കുരിചിള് , വരിപ്പാര , നെലലന് , మోటా , Convict surgeonfish, Kozhimeen, Kurichil, Mootah, Nelalan, Rabolu, Varipara
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses