Acanthurus maculiceps, commonly known as the white-freckled surgeonfish, yellow-freckled surgeonfish, pale-lined surgeonfish, spotted-faced surgeonfish, or earbar surgeonfish, is a fascinating marine ray-finned fish found in the Indo-West Pacific region. Let’s dive into some intriguing details about this unique fish:
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Description: The Acanthurus maculiceps has an oval, laterally compressed body with a convex dorsal profile. Its dorsal fin is supported by 9 spines and between 24 and 26 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 22 to 24 soft rays. As juveniles, their caudal fin is truncate, but as they grow, it becomes lunate with long filaments extending from the fin lobes. The head is adorned with pale spots, and the body features fine lines along the flanks. A yellow patch can be found underneath the mouth on the breast, and there’s an elongated dark blotch behind the eye. The overall color of this species can range from light yellow to dark brown, and interestingly, this change can happen quite rapidly.
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Distribution and Habitat: Acanthurus maculiceps inhabits clear waters in the outer reef flats and on seaward reefs at depths ranging from 1 to 15 meters (3.3 to 49 feet). You can find them in various locations, including the Maldives, the Line Islands in the Pacific, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef off Australia.
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Behavior and Diet: These surgeonfish can be found either solitarily or in small groups. They are grazers, feeding on algae and detritus. During spawning, males develop brighter nuptial colors. Interestingly, the juveniles start out white and gradually develop their adult colors as they grow, reaching a maximum standard length of 40 centimeters (16 inches).
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Etymology: The specific name maculiceps combines the Latin words maculatus (meaning “spotted”) and ceps(meaning “head”), referring to the numerous white spots on the fish’s head.
These unique surgeonfish add a touch of intrigue to the underwater world with their distinctive appearance and behavior. 🐠🌊
