TAXONOMY
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes)

Genus/species: Acanthurus mata

Mata Tang Acanthurus mata (Acanthuridae) RJD_IMG_0 IMG_0726

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Oval, compressed, pale to dark bluish body with numerous dark to blue horizontal lines. A longitudinal yellow stripe runs across the eye and splits in two lines extending anterior the eye. Yellow dorsal fin, upper lip and band across eyes. The caudal fin has a crescent shape.

Length up to 50 cm (20 inches)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Red Sea and East Africa to French Polynesia; southwest to Japan, Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia. Frequently inshore in turbid water, as well as outer reefs in depths 5–100 m. or 16.5-330 ft. Usually in groups of conspecifics.

DIET IN THE WILD: The Mata Tang is a group grazer upon plankton.

REPRODUCTION: Form resident spawning aggregations mid-water.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least concern

REMARKS: A. mata is marketed as a food fish.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

Ron’s flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3201527871/in/set-72157608332652056

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1be

fishbase  www.fishbase.org/summary/speciessummary.php?genusname=Aca…

Encyclopedia of life  eol.org/pages/206880/details

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/177967/0