| Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
| Acanthuridae | Acanthurus bahianus | Castelnau | 1855 | Ocean Surgeon |
Acanthurus bahianus
Unique Characters: Color of adults in life light yellowish brown to dark greyish brown. Base of caudal fin usually pale (often white). Color of juveniles in life not yellow. No narrow dark bars on side of body. Pelvic-fin membranes blackish. Caudal fin lunate, upper lobe longer, edged with white or blue. Anal-fin soft rays 21-23. Dorsal-fin soft rays 23-26. Body not very deep, the depth about 2.0 in standard length. Caudal fin with a distinct pale posterior margin, broader centrally, about ΒΌ- 1/3 width of pupil in adults (wider in young). Caudal fin deeply emarginate, the caudal concavity 4.5-15.5 in standard length (in specimens greater than 10 cm standard length). Gill rakers 18-24.
Similar Species:
Doctorfish
Acanthurus chirurgus
Blue Tang
Acanthurus coeruleus
Source: FAO 2002
Source: FAO 2002
Doctorfish Acanthurus chirurgus. Anal-fin soft rays 21-23. Dorsal-fin soft rays 23-26. Body not very deep, the depth about 2.0 in standard length. Ground color of adults in life light yellowish brown to dark greyish brown. Base of caudal fin usually pale (often white). Color of juveniles in life not yellow. About 10 narrow dark bars on side of body. Caudal fin without a distinct pale posterior margin (either absent or the width of a pencil line). Caudal fin slightly emarginate, the caudal concavity 17-38 in standard length (in specimens greater than 10 cm standard length). Gill rakers 16-19.
Blue Tang Acanthurus coeruleus. Anal-fin soft rays 24-26. Dorsal-fin soft rays 26-28. Body very deep, the depth about 1.7 in standard length. Color of adults in life blue to purplish grey with grey longitudinal lines on body. Base of caudal fin not pale. Color of juveniles in life bright yellow.
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