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Overview Main identification features

• dark grey + 2 white bars
• rear body - small white spots

Whitespotted Surgeonfish

Body deep, oval; snout slightly elongated; dorsal fin IX, 27-30; anal fin III, 23-26; pectoral rays 15-17; gill rakers 21-24; tail fin slightly concave; each side of caudal peduncle with a single, sharp, forward-pointing erectile spine.

Color: Head, body and dorsal and anal fins dark grey brown; a white bar on head behind eye and another on body just behind pectoral base; dorsal, anal and body behind second bar with many small white spots; pelvic fins bright yellow; tail fin pale yellow with a broad black rear edge.

Reaches 26cm

Habitat : Restricted to shallow surgy areas of seaward reef environments.

Depth range: 0-10m

Widely distributed throughout the tropical Indo-central Pacific but, in the tropical eastern Pacific is known only from Clipperton. The first record of this species in the Tropical Eastern Pacific was made by Philippe Bearez and Bernard Séret (during the Jean-Louis Etienne Expedition), who observed three large adults, and collected one of them, during March 2005. Since only a few similar-sized individuals were seen this species is probably present as a vagrant. This conspicuous, readily recognizable species was not observed at Clipperton during expeditions there in 1994 and 1998 by DR Robertson.

Attributes

Cites: Not listed.

Climate Zone: Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo).

Depth Range Max: 10 m.

Depth Range Min: 0 m.

Diet: benthic microalgae.

Eastern Pacific Range: Northern limit=11; Southern limit=11; Western limit=-110; Eastern limit=-110; Latitudinal range=1; Longitudinal range=1.

Egg Type: Pelagic; Pelagic larva.

Feeding Group: Herbivore.

FishBase Habitat: Reef Associated.

Global Endemism: Indo-Pacific only (Indian + Pacific Oceans); "Transpacific" (East + Central &/or West Pacific); TEP non-endemic; All species.

Habitat: Reef only; Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom); Reef (rock &/or coral).

Inshore Offshore: Inshore; Inshore Only.

IUCN Red List: Not evaluated / Listed.

Length Max: 26 cm.

Regional Endemism: Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) non-endemic; Eastern Pacific non-endemic; Island (s) only; Island (s); All species.

Residency: Vagrant.

Salinity: Marine; Marine Only.

Water Column Position: Bottom;

Names Scientific source:

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System

Links to other sites

• Fishbase
• Catalog of Fishes
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System

References

• Bloch , M. E. and Schneider, J. G., 1801., M. E. Blochii, Systema Ichthyologiae iconibus cx illustratum. Post obitum auctoris opus inchoatum absolvit, correxit, interpolavit Jo. Gottlob Schneider, Saxo. Berolini. Sumtibus Austoris Impressum et Bibliopolio Sanderiano Commissum., Systema Ichthyol., :1-584.

Acknowledgements

• Ross Robertson, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

I thank Ashley MacDonald and John Pickering, University of Georgia, for technical support in building this page.