Orangespot Surgeonfish

Acanthurus olivaceus

Bislamastrongskin— names this kind of animal, not this species alone

Orangespot Surgeonfish — photo 1 of 4 — Photo 1 of 4 · Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

uncommonorangebrowngreyschoolingmediumreef

Habitat: Reef
Max size: 35 cm
Depth: 9-46 m
Family: Acanthuridae

Acanthurus olivaceus, the orange-band surgeonfish, orange-shoulder surgeonfish or orangebar tang, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. It lives in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific.

Adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side, with what tells them apart.

Both carry a bold mark behind the eye, just above the gill opening. Orangespot Surgeonfish's is a bright orange bar edged in purplish black, and the front half of its body is often abruptly paler than the rear. Epaulette Surgeonfish's is a black streak; its body is one even shade, grey to dark brown, and it has a white bar at the base of the tail and a slim black line in front of the tail spines.

See the Epaulette Surgeonfish →

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