Naso elegans
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Acanthuriformes
Family: Acanthuridae
Genus: Naso
Subgenus: Naso
Species:
N. elegans
Binomial name
Naso elegans
Synonyms[3]
  • Aspisurus elegans Rüppell, 1829

Naso elegans, the elegant unicornfish, the blonde naso tang, Indian orange-spine unicorn, lipstick surgeonfish, lipstick tang, orangespine unicornfish or smoothheaded unicornfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

Taxonomy

Naso elegans was first formally described as Aspisurus elegans in 1829 by the German zoologist and explorer Eduard Rüppell with its type locality given as the northern Red Sea.[4] This species is classified within the nominate subgenus of the genus Naso.[5] The genus Naso is the only genus in the subfamily Nasinae in the family Acanthuridae.[6] For a long time this species was regarded as an Indian Ocean colour morph of the orangespine unicornfish (Naso lituratus) until it was shown that there were consistent meristic differences.[7]

Etymology

Naso elegans has a specific name elegans which is Latin for "choice", "fine" or "select", a reference to the beautiful colours of this fish.[5]

Description

Naso elegans has 6 spines and between 26 and 30 soft rays, typically 28, supporting the dorsal fin while the anal fin is supported by 2 spines and between 27 and 30 soft rays, typically 29. The pectoral fin contains 16, or more usually, 17 fin rays. There are between 30 and 35 teeth in each jaw and, in adults, these are similar to incisors and have rounded edges. The body has a depth which is equivalent to roughly a quarter of the standard length and it grows more elongate as the fish grows.[7] The keels on the caudal peduncle are larger in males than in females and the males also have longer filaments growing from the caudal fin. The overall colour is grey, with a dark snout separated from the grey head by a yellow bar at the eyes. The dorsal fin is yellow with a thin blue edge and a black band inside that. The anal and pelvic fins are dark brown.[8] The plates on the caudal peduncle are vivid orange separated by a patch of white.[7] The caudal fin is yellowish with a black submarginal band and black lower and upper edges.[8] The elegant unicornfish has a maximum total length of 45 cm (18 in), although 35 cm (14 in) is more typical.[3]

Distribution and habitat

Naso elegans is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It occurs in the Red Sea south along the east African coast to Durban in South Africa and eastward across the Indian Ocean into the Pacific where it reaches as far east as Bali in Indonesia. It is absent from the waters off the mainland Indian subcontinent.[1] In Australian waters it has been recorded from Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.[8] The elegant unicornfish occurs in reef flats in coastal and inshore waters in small schools while in more oceanic waters it forms larger schools,[3]

Biology

Naso elegans is a herbivore, feeding on benthic algae,[8] particularly brown algae in the genera Sargassum and Dictyota.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 Abesamis, R.; Clements, K.D.; Choat, J.H.; et al. (2012). "Naso elegans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T178004A1518077. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T178004A1518077.en.
  2. ↑ Reisen in Nubien, Kordofan und dem peträischen Arabien: vorzüglich in geographische-statistischer Hinsicht. E Rüppell, 1829
  3. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2023). "Naso elegans" in FishBase. February 2023 version.
  4. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Naso". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  5. 1 2 Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (12 January 2021). "Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 2): Families EPHIPPIDAE, LEIOGNATHIDAE, SCATOPHAGIDAE, ANTIGONIIDAE, SIGANIDAE, CAPROIDAE, LUVARIDAE, ZANCLIDAE and ACANTHURIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  6. ↑ J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. pp. 497–502. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  7. 1 2 3 4 John E. Randall (2022). "Family Acanthuridae". In Phillip C Heemstra; Elaine Heemstra; David A Ebert; Wouter Holleman; John E Randall (eds.). Coastal Fishes of the Western Indian Ocean (PDF). Vol. 5. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. pp. 219–244. ISBN 978-1-990951-32-9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Dianne J. Bray. "Naso elegans". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
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