Scientific Name
Acanthurus olivaceus

Common Name
Orangespot surgeonfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 23-25; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 22 - 24. Body of adult dark grayish brown; juveniles yellow; posterior to upper end of gill opening is a bright orange horizontal band, with purplish black border. Head and anterior half of body usually abruptly paler than the posterior half. Anterior gill rakers 24-28; posterior 23-27. Large adult males (about 17 cm) with more definite convexity of snout profile.

Classification

Classified By

Bloch & Schneider, 1801

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes (Acanthuridae)

Distribution

Region

Pacific Ocean

Distribution

Pacific Ocean: Christmas Island and Cocos-Keeling Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean to the Hawaiian and Tuamoto islands, north to Japan, south to Lord Howe Island. Replaced by Acanthurus tennenti in the Indian Ocean (Ref. 37816).

Range

35°N - 32°S, 95°E - 139°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

3 m

Depth To - meters

46 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 46 m (Ref. 1602), usually 9 - 46 m (Ref. 1602)

Trophic Level

2.2 s.e. 0.17 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

35.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (31 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless (Ref. 4795)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated