Paracanthurus hepatus, the Palette surgeonfish, and the Blue Tang are some of the species.
Paracanthurus hepatus, also known as the common surgeon, is a strictly marine fish that can be found in tropical coral reefs.When water temperatures allow, they may move at higher latitudes.Common surgeons range from 30 north and south latitude to 32 east and west in the Indian and Pacific Ocean.The people found in other areas are thought to have been released from aquaria.ThePalette surgeonfish is a fish.
Common surgeon can be found in tropical and sub-tropical coastal regions with temperatures between 24 and 26 C.They congregate near Pocillopora eydouxi, a type of coral with branching extensions, which is a protective hiding place when threatened.The food for common surgeon is provided by the Reefs.Common surgeon can be found between 2 and 40 m.
The sky blue color of the common surgeon's bodies distinguishes them.The iridophores on the exterior of the fish contribute to this color.The dark blue lines on the back of the adult's body are narrow.The color extends from the eye to the end of the body.The color is black near the tail.There is a patch of sky blue behind the pectoral fin.The caudal fins are bright yellow.The yellow extends from the caudal fin to a point beyond the spine.
As they get older, juvenile surgeons are bright yellow with blue spots near their eyes, and their anal fins are light blue.As they get older, their body becomes blue.
Adults range from 12 to 38 cm in length.Males are typically larger than females."Palette surgeonfish", 2009; Goda and Fujii, 1998; "Blue Tang: Paracanthurus hepatus," 2010; Thresher, 1984; Winterbottom, 1971
Many species of surgeonfish are similar in size and color.Common surgeons have 9 hard, sharp spines in their dorsal fin followed by 19 to 20 soft rays.There are 18 to 19 rays on their anal fins.Their Pelvic fins have 1 spine and 3 rays.
The base of the surgeon's caudal fin has a razor-sharp spine.There are toxins in the spine that can cause pain and irritation to humans.The caudal spine can be extended from the body.Its base is attached to the fish's back.The spine's outer point is free to move.A common surgeon tries to puncture the exterior of a predator when threatened.Goda and Fujii, 1998; Randall, 2001; "Blue Tang", 1999; Thresher, 1984; Winterbottom, 1971
The common surgeon hatch about 26 hours after the small eggs are laid.Larvae don't have a heart beat at hatching.Larvae get their sustenance from the egg.After hatching, newly hatched larvae are kept in a resting state until the heart starts to beat.
After two days after hatching, fins and pigment in the eyes begin to develop.By the seventh day scales and intestines begin to form, as development continues with jaws and the gut.Light intensity is related to the speed of development.After 37 days, the larvae matures.
The juvenile common surgeon are not the same as the adults.Adults have a more rounded caudal fin.The poster extends beyond the middle section of the caudal fin in adults."Blue Tang: Paracanthurus hepatus", Thresher, 1984 and Winterbottom, 1971 are examples.
Male and female surgeons congregate in breeding groups.These groups are formed spontaneously.Group dissolution occurs several times prior to spawning.At the crest of the upward movement, a group of people release their gametes.Eggs and sperm are released directly into the water, and fertilization takes place outside.The rapid pace of their swimming is believed to allow for dispersal and mixing of sperm and eggs.Eggs are carried away by currents.
Common surgeons have been observed breeding with individual mates.A male's color may change.The male and female circle around each other.Randall, 2001; Robertson, 1983; Thresher, 1984
The time of year varies with location and water temperature.The breeding season in the Pacific runs from December to June.In locations where the water temperature doesn't change a lot, breeding can take place throughout the year.Common surgeon in these areas have spawning episodes throughout the year, but they are assumed to peak during the summer.
During prime temperature, females release their eggs once a month.Up to 40,000 eggs can be released into the water column with each spawning event.Water is cloudy due to high quantities of eggs and sperm."Palette surgeonfish", 2009; Randall, 2001; Robertson, 1983; Blue Tang, 1999; Thresher, 1984
The average time for eggs to hatch is 26 hours.Larvae feed in large numbers off shore.Sexual maturity is measured by size.Sexual maturity for males is around 11 cm.Females don't reach sexual maturity until 13 cm in length."Blue Tang", 1999; Thresher, 1984
Common surgeon has no parental investment.After releasing their gametes into the water column, males and females dispersed.Randall, 2001; "Blue Tang", 1999; Thresher, 1984
A common surgeon can live for 30 years in the wild.Common surgeons don't live more than 20 years in aquariums and are more likely to survive only 8 to 12 years.Dunder, Finacom, et al., 2008)
Most common surgeons are found in pairs or small groups.They go to school for protection in the reef.A group of fish, each with a sharp and venomous caudal spine, is potentially problematic to predators; very few predators swim into the middle of a school of surgeonfish to feed off the members of the group.Acanthurus, Ctenochaetus, Naso, Zebrasoma, and Prionurus are some of the genera of surgeonfish.
Male common surgeonfish can have violent encounters with one another, circling each other and displaying their caudal spine.As the encounter gets more intense, their blue color changes.Males attempt to hurt one another with their venomous spines, each one swimming closer to the other until its caudal fin can be manipulated to slash the others.
The social standing of the common surgeon may be affected by this caudal spine.The fish of this species has a venomous caudal spine.The largest breeding territory is often held by the most dominant individuals."Blue Tang: Paracanthurus hepatus" was written by Thresher.
Some common surgeons hide behind live rocks or within branching corals when frightened.An alarmed fish secures its position within the head of the coral by extending its caudal spine.If the fish is found, a predator won't be able to pull it out of its hiding place.If seen by a predator, common surgeons "play dead", lying on their side.They are often mistaken for dead.Common surgeons have died when they play dead in the aquarium trade.Common surgeons become more comfortable with their environment within a few days of being introduced to an aquarium."Blue Tang: Paracanthurus hepatus", "Palette surgeonfish" and "Froese and Pauly" are examples.
During breeding, the home range of common surgeon is often defined.Home range varies depending on the dominance status of the fish as well as the method of breeding.Thresher, 1984;Randall, 2001
A common surgeon can communicate.The conditions and how they perceive their environment affect the color change.Their blue color deepens under stress.The black marks on the body may become less visible.The darker shade of blue is caused by the smaller and less iridescent iridiphores.The fish in the community can see the change in color.During stimulation such as male dominance interactions or breeding, color change occurs.
There is a warning around the caudal spine.The yellow triangular color is found just beyond the caudal spine.The location of the caudal spine is emphasized by a color that is not present on the fish's body.Goda and Fujii, 1998; Randall and Winterbottom, 1971
Common surgeons are herbivorous.Common surgeon rely on plankton.They use their small teeth to pull algae from rocks and coral.Microalgae, other marine plants, and zooplankton are some of the things fish of this species feed on."Blue Tang: Paracanthurus hepatus", 2010) is one of thePalette surgeonfish.
A common surgeon has multiple anti-predator adaptations.Their caudal spine is venomous and can cause pain to small predators.The tendency of this species to congregate increases the effectiveness of the defense mechanism.If a predator were to attack a group of common surgeons, it would be surrounded by surgeonfish that were large and powerful.Common surgeons warn of their poisonous skin and venomous spine.
The defense mechanisms are used by other species.The blue color of the midnight parrotfish is similar to that of a common surgeon.Guiasu and Winterbottom, 1998; Randall, 2001; and "Blue Tang", 1999)
A common surgeon feeds mostly on algae.The small shape of the surgeonfish's mouth makes it easy to pick and remove algae.The common surgeon eat the fast growing algae from sponges.Habitat for species dependent on the steady growth of sponges is indirectly preserved by this.The midnight parrotfish are members of their groups for protection.
Common surgeons are vulnerable to many potentially lethal parasites if kept in an aquarium.The most common of these is known as Ich, paravortex, or marine spot disease.Ich causes dark spots along the sides of the fish, which may be difficult to detect against the dark blue color of this species.Common surgeon may be more prone to catching diseases than other aquarium fish because they don't have as much protective coating on their skin."Blue Tang: Paracanthurus hepatus" was written byRandall, Shephard, and Thresher.
The pet trade has common surgeons.The popularity of the species increased after the movie was released.This species retails from $30 to well over $100USD for breeding pairs.ThePalette surgeonfish is a fish.
The caudal spine of a common surgeon can hurt humans.Common surgeon has no adverse effects on humans."Blue Tang" was released in 1999.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has not evaluated common surgeons.The habitat of most coral reef inhabitants has been negatively impacted by human activities.
Common surgeon are popular in the aquarium trade and have been for many years.Common surgeon are not currently considered threatened.ThePalette surgeonfish is a fish.
The name Paracanthurus hepatus is known by many different names.The popular animated movie, "Finding Nemo," in which a main character Dori is a common surgeon, has made them popular.
Gail McCormick is the editor of the Animal Diversity Web Staff.
There is a body of water between the southern ocean and the western hemisphere.About 28% of the world's surface is covered by this ocean.
Animals with colors that warn of their toxicity are usually referred to as having coloration that serves a protective function.Animals with bright red or yellow colors are often toxic.
The animal can be divided into two halves if it has body symmetry.Animals with bilateral symmetry have both sides of the body.The Bilateria has a synapomorphy.
The organic material comes from dead and decomposing organisms.Deficiency is the result of the activity of decomposers.
In order to regulate body temperature, animals must use heat from the environment.
There is no mechanism or a poorly developed mechanism for regulating internal body temperature.
Development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body when eggs are released by the female.
An animal with a substance capable of killing, injuring, or impairing other animals through its chemical action is called a poison dart frog.
A female and several males, each of which also pairs with several different females.
The structure is produced by the calcium carbonate skeletons.Coral reefs are found in warm, shallow oceans.They are the basis for rich communities of plants, fish, and protists.The polyps live on the surface of the water.They cannot live where light doesn't penetrate because they depend on zooxanthellae.
The genetic contribution of a male and a female is combined in reproduction.
A poisonous substance can be injected into a wound by an animal with an organ capable of doing so.
Small crustaceans and fish are part of plankton.Compare the two.
Theme parks and entertainment.1999."Blue Tang" is on-line.There are animals at the Busch Gardens.February 21, 2010 at http://www.seaworld.org/ animal-bytes/eumetazoa
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P.Schmidt, A., S. Linder, and Finacom.The year 2008.There is a view of the Philippine Coral Reef.The California Academy of Sciences is in San Francisco.
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R. Winterbottom, Guiasu.1998.The Surgeonfish Genus Zebrasoma has a yellow juvenile color pattern.The Bulletin of Marine Science was published in June.February 21, 2010 at http://gl.yorku.ca/Gl ProfProfiles.nsf/Publications/Yellow-juvenile-color-pattern.
Landeau, J. Terborgh.The year 1986.The "Confusion Effect" in Predation.Animal Behaviour is a journal for animal behavior.The article is at http://www.sciencedirect.com.
R. Myers was born in 1991."Palette surgeonfish" is on-line.There is a fish base.February 20, 2010 at http://fishbase.us/Summary/SpeciesSummary.
D. Robertson was born in 1983.The spawning behavior and spawning cycles of eight surgeonfishes.The Environmental Biology of Fishes is a book.February 20, 2010 at http://www.springerlink.com
Ryan, K.The year 2008.The assessment is on-line.There is a submission at http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/fisheries/qld/marine-aquarium-fish.
K. Shephard was born in 1994.Functions for fish.There are reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries.April 22, 2010 at http://www.springerlink.com/content/r7876w107973hr50
V. Waqalevu was published in 2009.On-line, there is a description of capture, identification and culture techniques of coral reef fish.There are coral reef initiatives in the Pacific.There is a PDF at http://www.crisponline.net/Portals/1/PDF/Capture-Identification-Culture-Techniques.
R. Winterbottom was born in 1971.The spine of some surgeonfishes is moving.The 3rd edition of Copeia, 3: 562-566.March 17, 2010 at http://www.jstor.org/pss.