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Australian Wildlife

  Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus)





Brown Surgeonfish | Acanthurus nigrofuscus photo
Acanthurus nigrofuscus

Image by NPS photo - Bryan Harry - License: Public Domain.    (view image details)







BROWN SURGEONFISH FACTS

Description
The Brown Surgeonfish is a fairly drab brown or purple brown colour with small orange spots on its head and throat. The lips are dark brown or black. It has a black spot on the base of the dorsal and anal fins. It has a spine on the tail stem that can cause a painful wound.

Size
to 21cm

Habitat
shallow lagoons, seaward reefs to depth of over 15m

Food
algae. Feeds in large schools

Range
The Brown Surgeonfish is found in shallow waters around seas of the Indo-Pacific. In Australia it is found around from the south west coast to the north west of Western Australia and along the length of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland and south to northern New South Wales.



Classification
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Perciformes
Family:Acanthuridae
Genus:Acanthurus
Species:nigrofuscus
Common Name:Brown Surgeonfish

Relatives in same Genus
  Dark Surgeon (A. blochii)
  Eyestripe Surgeonfish (A. dussumieri)
  Striped Surgeonfish (A. lineatus)
  Orangeband Surgeonfish (A. olivaceus)
  Convict Surgeonfish (A. triostegus)