Family : Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes) , subfamily: Acanthurinae
Order : Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Striated surgeonfish
Fish Name : Ctenochaetus striatus
Max size : 26.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 2334)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 3 - 30 m
Climate : tropical; 24 - 28°C; 26°N - 34°S
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.87)
Distribution : Indo-Pacific: throughout the region excluding the Hawaiian, Marquesan and Easter islands. Record from Baker Island (US Minor Islands) based on a photograph (Ref. 42056). Absent from Malden and Jarvis islands (Ref. 1602).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27-31; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 24-28. Body dark olive-brown. Orange spots on head. Pectoral fin yellowish, caudal and ventral fins brown, anterior part of caudal fin pale. Each side of caudal peduncle with sharp, forward-pointing erectile spine which folds down into a horizontal groove. Scales minute. Juveniles with 8 - 12 pale stipes inclining downward and backwards on body. Teeth movable, slender, tips incurved and expanded; upper jaw 5-6 denticulations, lower only 3-4. Gill rakers 27-36 in anterior row, 29-42 in posterior row.
Biology : Inhabits reef flats and lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of over 30 m. Occurs over coral (Ref. 58534), rock, pavement, or rubble substrates. May occur singly or in small to very large, often mixed-species aggregations (Ref. 48637). Feeds on surface film of blue-green algae and diatoms (making this species a key link in the ciguatera food chain) as well as on various small invertebrates
Threatened : Dangerous:
Dangerous : reports of ciguatera poisoning , Dalzell, P.. 1992
Coordinator : Randall, John E.
Main Ref : Randall, J.E and K.D. Clements. 2001. (Ref. 42056)
India country information
Common Names : [ No common name ]
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses
