Scientific Name
Acanthurus maculiceps

Common Name
White-freckled surgeonfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-26; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 22 - 24. Brown in color when preserved; a black bar on upper edge of gill opening; head spotted; a less intense dark mark just behind the eye, connected narrowly with the dark bar; a dark brown region around the caudal spine; outer third of upper pectoral rays pale yellow. Large adults develop a distinctly convex head profile (Ref. 1602). Gill rakers on anterior row:19-23, on posterior row: 21-24.

Classification

Classified By

Ahl, 1923

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes (Acanthuridae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-West Pacific

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: Maldives (Ref. 30829); then from the Andaman Sea (Ref. 9710) and Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean to the Philippines and the Line Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Samoa.

Range

31°N - 15°S, 72°E - 157°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

15 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 15 m (Ref. 1602), usually 3 - 15 m (Ref. 27115)

Trophic Level

2 s.e. 0.00 Based on food items.

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

40.0 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

Moderate vulnerability (44 of 100)

Resilience

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

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated