Blackspine unicornfish facts for kids
Naso minor, also known as the blackspine unicornfish, is a cool marine fish. It's part of the Acanthuridae family, which includes surgeonfishes and tangs. You can find this fish in the Indo-Pacific ocean.
Quick facts for kids Blackspine unicornfish |
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| Naso minor, Romblon, Philippines | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Acanthuridae |
| Genus: | Naso |
| Subgenus: | Axinurus |
| Species: |
N. minor
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| Binomial name | |
| Naso minor (J. L. B. Smith, 1966)
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| Synonyms | |
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Contents
How is the Blackspine Unicornfish Classified?
The Naso minor was first officially described in 1966. This was done by a South African fish expert named James Leonard Brierley Smith. He found it near Pinda Reef in Mozambique.
This fish belongs to a group called Axinurus. This group is part of the larger Naso genus. The Naso genus is the only group in the Nasinae subfamily. All these groups are part of the Acanthuridae family.
Why is it Called 'Minor'?
The name Naso minor is quite fitting! The word minor means "smaller" or "lesser." This fish is the smallest species in the Naso group. That's why it got its specific name.
What Does the Blackspine Unicornfish Look Like?
The blackspine unicornfish is a slender fish. Its body length is about three times its height. It has a smooth, rounded head with no horn or bump. There's a small groove in front of its eye.
Its dorsal fin (on its back) has 5 strong spines. It also has 27 to 29 soft rays. The anal fin (on its belly) has 2 spines and 27 to 29 soft rays.
This fish has a single bony plate on each side of its tail base. This plate has a sharp, forward-pointing spine. Its main color is grey, fading to white underneath. Its head can look purplish-grey.
You might see 5 or 6 bluish-grey stripes along its sides. Its lips are dark, and the area under its pectoral fins (side fins) is lighter. The bony plates and tail base are black. Its tail fin is yellow.
When male fish are trying to attract a mate, their upper body turns black. They also get a white stripe along their sides. The biggest Naso minor ever recorded was about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long.
Where Does the Blackspine Unicornfish Live?
The Naso minor lives in many places across the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. In the Indian Ocean, it's been seen near Mozambique, Mauritius, and Reunion.
In the western Pacific, you can find it from eastern Indonesia and the Philippines. It goes north to Taiwan and south to Australia. It has also been seen as far east as Guam. In Australia, it lives from the northern Great Barrier Reef down to the waters near Cairns.
This fish likes to live near coral reefs. It often swims in small groups. You can usually find them near the top edges of steep drop-offs in the reef.
What Does the Blackspine Unicornfish Do?
The Naso minor eats tiny animals called zooplankton. These are small creatures that float in the water. They usually feed between 8 and 40 meters (26 to 130 feet) deep, close to reefs.
Sometimes, these fish will go onto the reefs. They do this to get cleaned by other fish. A common cleaner fish is the bluestreak cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus). This wrasse helps remove parasites from the unicornfish.
Male Naso minor can quickly change their colors and patterns. They do this when they are trying to attract female fish for mating.
