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Family
Acanthuridae
Surgeonfishes
& Tangs
HAWAII
Ctenochaetus
hawaiiensis
Juvenile, Puako, Hawaii, 50 feet
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Puako, Hawaii, 30 feet |
Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, 10 feet |
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CHEVRON TANG
BLACK KOLE
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Rare except on the Big Island of Hawaii. Attractive juveniles inhabit Finger Coral and are collected
for aquariums. Adult are nearly black with faint white lines overall;
inhabits the surge zone. Fins are broad and fleshy. Attains 11
inches. Hawaii & the tropical Pacific. |
Ctenochaetus strigosus
Juvenile, Sharks Cove, Oahu, 20 feet
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Juvenile, Waimea Bay, Oahu, 30 feet |
Juvenile, Waimea Bay, Oahu, 30 feet
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Puako, Hawaii, 25 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet |
Juvenile, Sharks Cove, Oahu, 25 feet |
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GOLDRING SURGEONFISH
KOLE
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Adults pale to dark brown with wavy white lines.
Orange ring around each eye. Juveniles greenish yellow with blue markings and faint dark
stripes. Common in shallow quiet bays and Finger Corals in deeper
water. Attains 9.
5 inches. Endemic to Hawaii. |
Zebrasoma flavescens
Kewalo, Oahu, 60 feet |
Juvenile, Puako, Hawaii, 30 feet
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Juvenile, Kahe Point, Oahu, 35 feet
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Puako, Hawaii, 30 feet |
Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, 4 feet
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Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, 4 feet |
Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, 4 feet
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Night, Kona Village, Hawaii, 10 feet |
Post-larval, Sharkfin, Lana'i, 75 feet |
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YELLOW TANG LAU'IPALA
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Bright yellow with a white caudal spine. Juveniles have tall fins.
Heavily collected for aquariums; large schools were once a
common sight. Attains 8 inches. An all-black species Zebrasoma rostratum has been
seen in Hanauma and Kaneohe Bay. Hawaii to Micronesia and Okinawa. |
Zebrasoma veliferum
Juvenile, Nu'uuli, Samoa, 5 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet
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Waikiki Aquarium |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 5 feet |
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SAILFIN TANG MANE'ONE'O
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A large fish with with broad fins. Yellow stripes can be "turned off", appearing brown
overall. Often seen in pairs. Juveniles have very tall fins.
Inhabits calm reefs and bays. Attains 16 inches. Tropical
& subtropical Pacific including Hawaii and Japan. Replaced
by Z. desjardinii in the Indian Ocean. |
Acanthurus guttatus
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 8 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 8 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet |
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WHITESPOTTED SURGEONFISH
'API
Gomaniza
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Inhabits the surf zone. An attractive fish decorated with white dots.
Attains 11 inches. Western Indian Ocean to Hawaii, Okinawa, and
French Polynesia. |
Acanthurus leucopareius
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet
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Peek-a-boo, Midway Atoll, 35 feet |
Juvenile, Three Tables, Oahu, 10 feet
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Kaupo Bay, Oahu, 6 feet
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Makapu'u, Oahu, 25 feet |
Makapu'u, Oahu, 25 feet
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Makapu'u, Oahu, 25 feet |
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WHITEBAR SURGEONFISH
MAIKOIKO Sujikuro-hagi
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Common on shallow subtropical reefs. May accompany schools of Convict Tangs.
Attains 10 inches. Hawaii to Southern Japan, absent along the
equator, and from New Caledonia to Easter Island. |
Acanthurus triostegus
Juvenile, Puako, Hawaii, 25 feet
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Puako,Hawaii, 25 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 10 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 6 feet
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Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, Mexico |
Moku O Loe, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, 2 feet
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Night, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet |
Night, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet
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Night, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet |
Night, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet |
Old, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet
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Old, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet |
Spawning Color, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet
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Spawning Color, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet |
Juvenile, Makua, Oahu, 10 feet |
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CONVICT TANG
MANINI Shima-hagi
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Abundant in shallow water, forming large feeding schools.
Young are common in tidepools during summer. Hawaiian fish have
a continuous sickle-shaped black bar below the pectoral fins.
Attains 11 inches. Hawaii, Indo-Pacific, and Tropical Eastern
Pacific. |
Acanthurus olivaceus
Juvenile, Kaena Point, Oahu, 30 feet
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Juvenile, Waimea Bay, Oahu, 30 feet |
Kahe Point, Oahu, 30 feet
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Kahe Point, Oahu, 30 feet |
Molokini Crater, Maui, 45 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 35 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 35 feet |
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ORANGEBAR SURGEONFISH
NA'ENA'E
Montsuki-hagi
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Body may be two-toned or nearly black. Juveniles are mustard yellow; a faint shoulder bar may be
visible. Common in shallow water. Attains 14 inches.
Western Australia to Japan, Hawaii, and the Tuamotus. |
Acanthurus achilles
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet |
Juvenile, Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, 15 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 6 feet |
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ACHILLES TANG PAKU'IKU'I
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Common in the surge zone. Attains 10
inches. Hawaii, Micronesia, and Polynesia, waifs in the Tropical
Eastern Pacific. |
Acanthurus nigricans
Juvenile, Mahukona, Hawaii, 25 feet
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Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, Mexico, 20 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet |
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WHITECHEEK SURGEONFISH
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Uncommon in Hawaii. Inhabits the sub-surge zone.
Markings are bright yellow; tail mostly white. The posterior half of the body appear muddy yellow.
Attains 8 inches. Western Australia to Okinawa, Hawaii, French
Polynesia, and the Tropical Eastern Pacific. |
Acanthurus achilles x Acanthurus nigricans
Juvenile, Puako, Hawaii, 25 feet |
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HYBRID ACHILLES x WHITECHEEK SURGEONFISH
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One of the few reef fishes known to hybridize in Hawaii;
rarely seen. Head and mid-body of Achilles Tang. Posterior half of body like Whitecheek Surgeonfish.
Tail is similar to an Achilles' but the orange bar is pale. |
Acanthurus lineatus
Tafananai, American Samoa, 5 feet |
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LINED SURGEONFISH
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Extremely rare in
Hawaii but common in shallow water exposed to surge throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Large adult photographed at Hanauma Bay in 1995. Attains 15
inches. |
LARGE GRAY SURGEONFISHES
Acanthurus dussumieri
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 15 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 15 feet |
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WHITESPINE SURGEONFISH
PALANI Nise-kanran-hagi
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Common in areas of clear water beyond
the reef. Blue tail spotted with black, and yellow ring
on caudal peduncle. White caudal spine surrounded by black. Yellow pectoral fins; dorsal fin mostly yellow.
Attains 21 inches. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Acanthurus xanthopterus
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet |
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YELLOWFIN SURGEONFISH
PUALU
Kurohagi
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Common in murky bays and harbors;
Hanauma Bay. Small black caudal spine. Yellow pectoral fins.
Overall bluish gray; pale area on caudal
peduncle. Attains 25 inches. Hawaii, Indo-Pacific, and
Tropical Eastern Pacific. |
Acanthurus blochii
Juvenile, Puako, Hawaii, 25 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 20 feet |
Night, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 10 feet |
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RINGTAIL SURGEONFISH
PUALU
Hiraniza
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Common in sand channels of shallow reefs.
Large black caudal spine. Brown pectoral fins. Overall olive brown to black; white band on
caudal peduncle. Attains 17 inches. Hawaii & the
Indo-Pacific. |
BLACK-SPOT GROUP
Acanthurus nigrofuscus
Koloa Landing, Kauai, 20 feet
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YO-257 wreck, Waikiki, 90 feet |
YO-257 wreck, Waikiki, 90 feet
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Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 30 feet |
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BROWN SURGEONFISH or LAVENDER TANG
MA'I'I'I
Naganiza
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Abundant on shallow reefs. An aggressive territorial species. Black spot at base of dorsal & anal fins.
Yellow dots on face; anterior dorsal fin mustard yellow. Color may change from brown to purple or gray.
Attains 8 inches. Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. |
Acanthurus nigroris
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 15 feet |
Juvenile, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 20 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 20 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 20 feet |
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BLUELINED SURGEONFISH MAIKO
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Common on shallow reefs. Black spot at base of dorsal & anal fins.
Pale band around caudal peduncle distinct
during light phase. Minute blue lines overall; some orange lines on
face. Changes rapidly to nearly black with blue fin
margins. Juveniles may be confused with those of A.
blochii. Attains 10 inches. Hawaii & the Tropical
Pacific. |
Acanthurus thompsoni
Honaunau, Hawaii, 35 feet
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Wakatobi, Indonesia, 50 feet |
YO-257 wreck, Waikiki, Oahu, 70 feet |
YO-257 wreck, Waikiki, Oahu, 70 feet |
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THOMPSON'S SURGEONFISH
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Frequent in deeper water exposed to
current. Black spot at base of dorsal fin only. Black spot at base of pectoral fin.
Slender bluish gray body; may change rapidly to
dark brown. Tail white except in Hawaii. Feeds upon zooplankton in the water column. |
INDO-PACIFIC
Acanthurus pyroferus
Juvenile, Wakatobi, Indonesia
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Wakatobi, Indonesia |
Waikiki Aqaurium |
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MIMIC SURGEONFISH
| Common on reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific except Hawaii.
Juvenile mimic the angelfish Centropyge vrolickii or C.
flavissimus. About 10 inches. |
Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus
Juvenile, Breakers Point, American Samoa |
Coconut Point, American Samoa |
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BLUELIP BRISTLETOOTH
| Common in the Western & Central Pacific. Recently
separated from C. binotatus. About 6 inches |
Ctenochaetus striatrus
Juvenile, Utulei, American Samoa |
Faga'alu, American Samoa |
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STRIPED BRISTLETOOTH
| Common in the Indo-Pacific except Hawaii. Up to 10 inches. |
Paracanthurus hepatus
Juveniles, Wakatobi, Indonesia, 15 feet |
Wakatobi, Indonesia, 5 feet |
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PALETTE SURGEONFISH
| Locally uncommon in areas exposed to current in the
Indo-Pacific. About 12 inches. |
Zebrasoma scopas
Juvenile, Faga'alu, American Samoa |
Faga'alu, American Samoa |
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BRUSHTAIL TANG
| Common in aggregations among branching coral in shallow water
throughout the Indo-Pacific. Up to 15 inches. |
JAPAN
Acanthurus japonicus
Waikiki Aquarium |
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JAPANESE SURGEONFISH
| Uncommon in the Western Pacific from Sulawesi north to
Okinawa. Very similar to A. nigricans. About 7
inches. |
TROPICAL EASTERN PACIFIC
Prionurus punctatus
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico |
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YELLOWTAIL SURGEONFISH
| Common in shallow water from El Salvador to the Sea of Cortez.
Up to 24 inches. |
TROPICAL WESTERN ATLANTIC
Acanthurus coeruleus
Grand Bahama Island, 25 feet |
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BLUE TANG
| Common from New York to Brazil. Juveniles are bright
yellow. Up to 15 inches. |
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