Mimic surgeonfish
Acanthurus pyroferus
Where at Shedd?
Wild Reef
| Diet | Detritus and sediment |
|---|---|
| Size | Length: Up to 11 inches (29 cm) |
| Type | Fishes |
| Range | Indian and West Central Pacific Oceans |
| Habitat | Lagoon and sea-facing reefs of coral, rock, or sand |
Did you know?
- Young Philippine yellow tangs look so much like pygmy angelfish that territorial damselfish ignore them when tangs forage near angelfish. Unlike the tangs, angelfish and damselfish eat different foods.
- When mimicking the pygmy angelfish, Philippine yellow tangs can spend up to ten percent more time looking for food, scientists observed.
- Do you see that bump near the tang’s tail? It conceals a “blade” that cuts flesh as cleanly as a scalpel.