Striated surgeonfish

Coris striatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Acanthuridae
Genus: Ctenochaetus
Species: C. striatus
Binomial name
Ctenochaetus striatus
(Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

The striated surgeonfish, Ctenochaetus striatus, is a species of marine fish in the family Acanthuridae.[2]

The striated surgeonfish can reach a maximum size of 24 cm in length, but its common size is observed to be around 18 cm.[3]

The striated surgeonfish is one of the few herbivorous fishes which are occasionally toxic. Ciguatera poisoning is caused by the accumulation of a toxin produced by certain microscopic dinoflagellates which it ingests while feeding on algae. If a contaminated fish is eaten by humans, the concentrated poison contained within its tissues causes neurological damage that can be fatal.

It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

References

  1. Choat, J.H., Clements, K.D., McIlwain, J., Abesamis, R., Myers, R., Nanola, C., Rocha, L.A., Russell, B. & Stockwell, B. 2012. Ctenochaetus striatus. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1
  2. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Ctenochaetus striatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)". Marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  3. "Ctenochaetus striatus, Striated surgeonfish : fisheries, aquarium". Fishbase.org. 2012-07-03. Retrieved 2016-05-20.


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