Acanthuridae

Acanthuridae is the family of surgeonfish, tangs, and unicornfish.

Surgeonfish Temporal range: Eocene to Recent
Sohal surgeonfish, Acanthurus sohal. The orange mark on the tail peduncle shows where the spine is folded in.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Acanthuriformes
Family:	Acanthuridae Bonaparte, 1832[1]
Genera
Acanthurus Ctenochaetus Naso Paracanthurus Prionurus Zebrasoma

Acanthurus achilles, from genus Acanthurus

Paracanthurus hepatus, a poison fish.

The family includes about 86 living species. It is made up of marine fish living in tropical seas, usually around coral reefs. Many of the species are brightly colored and popular for aquaria.

One of the characteristics of this family is that they have spines on the tail (also known as "thorn tail").^[2]

Morphology

Surgeonfish have dangerously sharp spines and can slash a person, causing serious injury. Most species of the family are of small size, between 15-40 cm (6-15 in), but the genera Prionorus or Naso can be larger. The whitemargin unicornfish is the largest species in the family.

Classification

• Subfamily Nasinae Fowler & Bean, 1929
  • Genus Naso Lacépède, 1801
• Subfamily Acanthurinae Bonaparte, 1835
  • Tribe Acanthurini Bonaparte, 1839
    • Genus Acanthurus Forsskål 1775
    • Genus Ctenochaetus Gill, 1884
  • Tribe Prionurini J. L. B. Smith, 1966
    • Genus Prionurus Lacépède, 1804
  • Tribe Zebrasomini Winterbottom, 1993
    • Genus Paracanthurus Bleeker, 1863
    • Genus Zebrasoma Swainson, 1839

Extinct genera

Acanthuridae includes several extinct genera:

Eocene genera

• Proacanthurus
• Tylerichthys
• Gazolaichthys
• Naseus
• Tauichthys
• Eorandallius
• Metacanthurus

Oligocene genera

• Glarithurus
• Caprovesposus
• Arambourgthurus
• Eonaso

Miocene genera

• Marosichthys

In the aquarium

Tangs are very sensitive to disease in the home aquarium. It is necessary to quarantine the fishes before introducing them to the aquarium.