Teleostei (teleosts) >
Acanthuriformes (Surgeonfishes) >
Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes) > Acanthurinae
Etymology: Ctenochaetus: Greek, kteis, ktenos = comb + Greek, chaite = hair (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Randall.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 45 m (Ref. 42056), usually 3 - 25 m (Ref. 27115). Tropical; 24°C - 27°C (Ref. 27115); 15°N - 19°S, 111°E - 167°W
Western Central Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, northern Great Barrier Reef, Solomon Islands, Palau, Vanuatu and Fiji. Recently recorded from Tonga (Ref. 53797).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 48637)
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24 - 25; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 22 - 23. Margins of lips papillate. Only species of Ctenochaetus with angular dorsal and anal fins. Caudal fin of juveniles forked, of adults lunate. Gill rakers on anterior row 20-21, on posterior row 20. Outer soft portion of dorsal and anal fins orange (pale in preservative). Caudal fin white. Edge of lips crenulate. Upper teeth with 2 or 3 denticulations (not including tip). Anterior gill rakers 19-23 (Ref 42056).
Occurs singly or in small groups along steep coral-rich drop-offs of sheltered coasts (Ref. 48637). Feeds on algae and microfauna living in between the algae (Ref. 89999). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Randall, J.E and K.D. Clements, 2001. Second revision of the surgeonfish genus Ctenochaetus (Perciformes: Acanthuridae), with descriptions of two new species. Indo-Pac. Fish. (32):33 p. (Ref. 42056)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 26.7 - 28.9, mean 27.9 °C (based on 266 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5020 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02344 (0.01123 - 0.04892), b=2.96 (2.79 - 3.13), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 41.8 [25.9, 70.7] mg/100g; Iron = 0.263 [0.142, 0.645] mg/100g; Protein = 18 [17, 19] %; Omega3 = 0.133 [0.085, 0.214] g/100g; Selenium = 19.8 [11.2, 35.6] μg/100g; VitaminA = 54.4 [12.5, 216.9] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.432 [0.317, 1.463] mg/100g (wet weight);