Night surgeonfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Night surgeonfish |
|
|---|---|
_(46864394875).jpg) |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The Acanthurus thompsoni, also known as the night surgeonfish, chocolate surgeonfish, Thompson's surgeonfish, Thompson's tang, or whitetail surgeonfish, is a type of marine fish. It belongs to the family called Acanthuridae. This family includes other cool fish like surgeonfishes, unicornfishes, and tangs. You can find this fish in many parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
Contents
About the Night Surgeonfish
The night surgeonfish was first officially described in 1923. An American zoologist named Henry Weed Fowler gave it the scientific name Hepatus thompsoni. He found the first known fish in Oahu, Hawaii. This fish is part of the Acanthurus group, which is a type of surgeonfish.
Why it's Called Thompson's Surgeonfish
The scientific name thompsoni honors John W. Thompson. He was an artist and model maker at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. He was the one who received the first fish specimen that was used to describe the species.
What the Night Surgeonfish Looks Like
The night surgeonfish has an oblong body. It can grow up to about 27 centimeters (about 10.6 inches) long. Its body is mostly brown all over. It has a special white tail fin, which is why it's sometimes called the whitetail surgeonfish. You might also see a small dark spot behind its pectoral fin.
This fish has fins supported by spines and soft rays. Its top fin, called the dorsal fin, has 9 spines. Its bottom fin, the anal fin, has 3 spines. Adult fish have about 20 or 21 teeth in their upper jaw and 24 teeth in their lower jaw.
Where the Night Surgeonfish Lives
The night surgeonfish lives in a very large area. This area stretches across the Indo-Pacific Ocean. You won't find it in the Red Sea. However, it lives along the eastern coast of Africa, from the Gulf of Aden down to South Africa.
It also lives across the Indian Ocean and into the Pacific Ocean. You can find it as far east as the Pitcairn Islands and Hawaii. To the south, it reaches the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. To the north, it goes up to southern Japan. In Australia, it lives around places like Christmas Island and the northern Great Barrier Reef.
This fish prefers clear water. It likes sandy areas and coral reefs. You can often find it on steep drop-offs and outer reef slopes. It usually lives in water less than 30 meters (about 98 feet) deep. However, it has been seen as deep as 75 meters (about 246 feet).
Night Surgeonfish Behavior and Diet
The night surgeonfish usually lives alone. Sometimes, you might see it in small groups. This fish is a zooplankton eater. This means it feeds on tiny animals that float in the ocean water.
How People Use the Night Surgeonfish
The night surgeonfish is sometimes traded for the aquarium hobby. However, it is not a very common fish in the pet trade. In some places, like Thailand, people also catch this fish to eat.
