Ctenochaetus cyanocheilus Randall & Clements, 2001
Short-tail bristle-tooth
photo by Randall, J.E.

Family:  Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes), subfamily: Acanthurinae
Max. size:  16 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 60 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific: Ogasawara Islands, south through the Philippines and Indonesia to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia, east to Samoa in the South Pacific, to the Marshall Islands.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25-28; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 22-26. Color orangish brown to dark brown with bluish lines following scale rows; chest with bluish cast; head, anterior body above pectoral-fin base, and chest with very small pale yellowish spots; lips blue; orbit narrowly rimmed with dull yellow. Median fins dark brown, dorsal with bluish lines extending in from body. Young bright yellow. Lip margins smooth to finely papillate. Caudal fin emarginate (Ref. 42056).
Biology:  Inhabits inner to outer reef with rich coral growth, usually on upper part of slopes in 7-15 meters depth (Ref. 48637). Solitary or in groups, grazing on algae (Ref. 90102). Maximum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Known from Talajit I. (between Samar and Masbate); Buang Bay; Cebu Strait, Sumilon I., and Balicasag I. (Ref. 42056), Dauin-Apo I. (Ref. 127519) and TaƱon Strait (Ref. 107276). Also Ref. 37792.


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