Humpnose unicornfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Humpnose unicornfish |
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The humpnose unicornfish (scientific name: Naso tuberosus) is a type of fish that lives in the ocean. It belongs to a group of fish called surgeonfishes, unicornfishes, and tangs. You can find this fish mostly in the Indian Ocean.
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About the Humpnose Unicornfish
How Scientists Name Fish
When scientists find a new animal, they give it a special name and describe it. The humpnose unicornfish was first described in 1801. A French scientist named Bernard Germain de Lacépède gave it its scientific name. He found the first one near Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean.
This fish is part of a larger group called Naso. All Naso fish are in the same family as surgeonfishes and tangs.
What Its Name Means
The scientific name Naso tuberosus tells us something about this fish. "Naso" means "nose" in Latin, which refers to the horn-like bump on its head. The word tuberosus means "lumpy" or "bulging". This part of the name describes the big bump on the front of its head.
What the Humpnose Unicornfish Looks Like
Body Features
The humpnose unicornfish has a special fin on its back called the dorsal fin. It has 5 stiff spines and 26 to 29 soft rays. Its bottom fin, the anal fin, has 2 spines and 26 to 28 soft rays.
As the fish grows, it gets more teeth. Young fish have fewer teeth than older ones. Their teeth have jagged edges, like tiny saws.
The Head Bump
Adult humpnose unicornfish have a noticeable bump on the front of their head. This bump is a key feature that gives them their name. It never sticks out past their mouth. The top part of their body is slightly curved under the dorsal fin.
Tail and Color
Near its tail, the fish has two bony plates on each side. These plates have a sharp point that faces forward. The tail fin of young fish is deeply V-shaped. In adult fish, the tail fin is only slightly V-shaped.
The fish is usually grayish in color. It has small black spots on its upper body. There is also a large black spot near its pectoral fins, which are like its "arms." This fish can grow up to about 60 centimeters (about 2 feet) long.
Where It Lives and What It Eats
Ocean Home
The humpnose unicornfish is not a very common fish. It lives in the Indian Ocean. Some people think it might also live in the western Pacific Ocean, but many of those sightings might be a different type of unicornfish.
You can find this fish along the eastern coast of Africa. It lives from Somalia all the way down to South Africa. It also lives near islands like the Comoro Islands, Madagascar, and the Seychelles. You might also find it near Yemen, Western Australia, and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Its Diet
This fish mostly lives on coral reefs. It likes to graze on algae, especially a type of seaweed called Caulerpa. It uses its teeth to scrape algae off rocks and corals.
