Acanthurus: Difference between revisions

''Acanthurus'' surgeonfishes have disc shaped, highly laterally compressed bodies with a steep dorsal profile to the head. They have a small mouth positioned low on the head and the fish can protrude the jaws. The 8 to 28 teeth in the jaws are fixed and have flattened, serrated tips. There are typically 11 spines in the [[dorsal fin]]. There is a single spine on each side of the caudal peduncle and these can be pressed down into a groove.<ref name = STRI>{{cite web | url = https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/taxon/2155 | title = Genus: Acanthurus, Common Surgeonfish, Surgeonfishes, Tangs | access-date = 29 August 2023 | work = Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system | publisher = [[Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute]]}}</ref> The [[Indo-Pacific]] [[yellowfin surgeonfish]] (''A. xanthopterus'') is the largest species with a maximum published [[total length]] of {{cvt|70|cm}} while the smallest is the black-barred surgeonfish (''[[Acanthurus polyzona|A. polyzona]]'') with a maximum published total length of {{cvt|11|cm}}.<ref name = Fishbase/>