Yellowfin Surgeonfish

Familia: Surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae)
Tamaño: Up to 70 cm (28 in) | Común 40 cm
Profundidad: 5 – 90m (15 – 295ft)

Distribución: Widespread Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific (Baja California to Ecuador, including the Galapagos and Malpelo).

Identificación: The giant of the surgeonfish family.

• Coloración: The body is a beautiful purplish-blue to pale grey. The key identifying marks are the bright yellow pectoral fins and a distinct yellow mask or patch extending around the eyes.
• Aletas: If you look closely at the dorsal (top) and anal (bottom) fins, they feature striking, alternating horizontal stripes of neon blue and orange-yellow.
• The Scalpel: Like all surgeonfishes, they have a sharp, retractable spine located in a small groove on either side of the tail base (caudal peduncle) for defense.

Comportamiento: A heavy-duty reef grazer.

• Dieta: They are herbivores and detritivores. You will constantly see them picking at the rocks to eat benthic algae and detritus. They often ingest sand to act as grit in their stomachs to help digest the tough plant matter.
• Schooling Strategy: They frequently travel in large schools. This "mob" tactic allows them to overwhelm aggressive, territorial damselfish and freely graze on their carefully guarded algae farms.