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

Genus/species: Ctenochaetus strigosus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Brown as a juvenile and blue or burgundy as an adult with pale yellow spots on head and pale yellow pinstripes on body. Conspicuous, broad yellow ring around the eye.

Max. length: 15 cm (6 in).

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DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: C. strigosus is found in the Central Pacific in coral-rich areas of deep lagoon and seaward reefs.

DIET IN THE WILD: Herbivore, grazing algae and detritus using its comb-like teeth. Their diet may contain high concentrations of the dinoflagellate that produces ciguatera toxin, and so bristletooths and their predators are known to sometimes concentrate sufficient toxin to cause illness in humans.

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REPRODUCTION: Pelagic spawner. Lifespan 5 yrs or longer.

Goldring Bristletooth aka Spotted Surgeonfish (brown variant)13161055833_2f47ca36cb_b

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least concern

REMARKS: It has also been commonly observed to clean algal growths from the shells of sea turtles in Hawaiian waters.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/177949/0

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/8679225491/in/set-72157608332652056/  

EOL eol.org/pages/220815/details

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/6015

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