Surgeonfish Temporal range: Eocene to Recent
Sohal surgeonfish, Acanthurus sohal. The orange mark on the tail peduncle shows where the spine is folded in.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Acanthuriformes
Family:	Acanthuridae Bonaparte, 1832
Genera
Acanthurus Ctenochaetus Naso Paracanthurus Prionurus Zebrasoma

Acanthurus achilles, from genus Acanthurus

Paracanthurus hepatus, a poison fish.

Acanthuridae is the family of surgeonfish, tangs, and unicornfish.

The family includes about 86 living species. It is made up of marine fish living in tropical seas, usually around coral reefs. Many of the species are brightly colored and popular for aquaria.

One of the characteristics of this family is that they have spines on the tail (also known as "thorn tail"). view more...