Horseface unicornfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Horseface unicornfish |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| juvenile, Western Australia | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The horseface unicornfish, also known as the blunt unicornfish, is a type of marine fish. Its scientific name is Naso fageni. This fish belongs to a group called Acanthuridae, which includes surgeonfishes and tangs. You can find this interesting fish living in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific region.
Contents
About the Horseface Unicornfish
The horseface unicornfish is a fascinating creature of the ocean. It gets its common name from a small bump that can grow on its head. This fish is known for its unique look and how it lives in the ocean.
How Scientists Name Fish
Scientists use a special system to name and group all living things. This is called Taxonomy. The horseface unicornfish, Naso fageni, was first officially described in 1954. An American fish expert named James Edwin Morrow gave it its scientific name. He found the first known specimen near Bugsuk Island in the Philippines.
The horseface unicornfish belongs to the genus Naso. This group of fish is the only one in the subfamily Nasinae. All these fish are part of the larger family called Acanthuridae.
Where Did Its Name Come From?
The second part of the fish's scientific name, fageni, is a tribute to someone special. James Edwin Morrow named it after his friend and guide, Captain R.W. Fagen. Captain Fagen helped Morrow on many trips to study fish.
What Does the Horseface Unicornfish Look Like?
The horseface unicornfish has a unique body shape. It has an oval body that is flattened from side to side. As the fish grows, its body becomes longer.
Fins and Features
This fish has several fins that help it swim. Its dorsal fin on its back has 5 strong spines and 24 to 26 soft rays. The anal fin on its underside has 2 spines and 23 to 25 soft rays. Its pectoral fin, located behind its gills, has 17 rays.
One special feature of older, larger horseface unicornfish is a short, bony bump above their mouth. This is where its common name, "horseface," comes from.
Tail and Color
The horseface unicornfish has two bony plates on each side of its caudal peduncle, which is the narrow part before the tail. These plates do not move. Its tail fin, called the caudal fin, is shaped like a crescent moon. In larger fish, especially males, the tips of the tail fin can have long, flowing filaments.
The fish's body color is usually pale grey to brownish-grey. Adult fish often have small dark spots all over their bodies. Younger fish have a white band between the bony plates on their tail. This fish can grow up to 80 centimeters (about 31 inches) long.
Where Do They Live?
The horseface unicornfish lives in different parts of the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. It has a "disjunct" distribution, meaning its populations are separated.
Ocean Homes
In the western Indian Ocean, you can find them along the eastern coast of Africa. This includes areas from the Gulf Of Aden down to central Mozambique. They also live around the Comoros ISlands, Aldabra, and the Saya de Malha Bank. In the central Indian Ocean, they have been seen in the Chagos Islands.
Further east, populations are found off southern Japan, in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Western Australia.
Habitat and Lifestyle
This fish is not very common. It usually lives alone or in small groups. They prefer deeper ocean areas that are not coral reefs. However, young horseface unicornfish can sometimes be found in rocky and coral reef environments.
