Acanthurus xanthopterus
Yellowmask Surgeonfish | Purple Surgeonfish | Yellowfin Surgeonfish
Similar Species
Same Genus
Distribution
Temperate Australasia, Tropical Indo-Pacific
Description
Large bluish-grey body, yellowish pectoral fins, yellow band through eye, black tail base spine with pale border, crescent-shaped tail with black margin, dark longitudinal stripes along dorsal and anal fins, occasionally with white bar across inner tail. Less strongly tapering body shape, and humped head profile in larger individuals distinguishes it from similar A. mata (Pale Surgeonfish) and A. albipectoralis (Whitefin Surgeonfish).
Information
Max Size: 70 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 23.2-31.5°C
Depth: 1-100m
Habitat Generalization Index: 16.31
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Occurrence: Infrequent (9.8% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Several (10 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: RD Stuart-Smith, GJ Edgar, AJ Green, IV Shaw. 2015. Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland