Achilles surgeonfish

Achilles surgeonfish

 

Scientific name : Acanthurus achilles

 

Family : Acanthuridae
Size : Up to 24 cm
Distribution : West Tropical Pacific

 

Biology : It eats seaweeds, refuses, invertebrates as well as zooplankton. It also absorbs sand to help with its digestion.
Its drop-shaped stain at the base of its caudal fin allows it to thwart predators attacks by looking like an eye, but also, by hiding the scalpel-like spine specific to surgeon fishes.

 

IUCN status : Least concern