Scientific Name
Zebrasoma flavescens

Common Name
Yellow tang

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 23-26; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 19 - 22. bright yellow overall (pale in preservative). Sheath of peduncular spine white. Body very deep, its depth 1.4 to 1.75 times in SL. Snout moderately protruding. Mouth small; teeth spatulate, close-set, the edges denticulate. 12 upper and 14 lower teeth in juveniles, and 18 upper and 22 lower teeth in an adult 15 cm SL (Ref 9808).

Classification

Classified By

Bennett, 1828

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes (Acanthuridae)

Distribution

Region

Pacific Ocean

Distribution

Pacific Ocean: Ryukyu, Mariana, Marshall, Marcus, Wake and Hawaiian islands. Has been reported off the coast of Florida in the Western Central Atlantic (Ref. 51238).

Range

30°N - 8°N, 127°E - 79°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

2 m

Depth To - meters

46 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 46 m (Ref. 9710), usually 3 - 46 m (Ref. 27115)

Trophic Level

2 s.e. 0.00 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

20.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5078 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (35 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Fec > 10,000)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated