Spotted Unicornfish (species: Naso brevirostris) in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Lizard Island area: all known taxa > Animalia > Chordata > Vertebrata > Actinopterygii > Perciformes > Acanthuridae > Naso > Naso brevirostris (gallery)
Naso brevirostris
Spotted Unicornfish


©Cassy Thompson: Naso brevirostris at Snake Pit near Lizard Island

©Andy Lewis: Naso brevirostris at Lizard Island.

©Anne Hoggett: Naso brevirostris at Yonge Reef near Lizard Island.

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Acanthuridae
Genus Naso
Species Naso brevirostris

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Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Colours

                   

Distinguishing features

Brown to grey, often paler anteriorly, subadults with small dark spots on head and body, adults with vertical lines on body. Usually a white line on edge of gill cover. Tail white with a large dark spot at base, truncate or slightly rounded, no trailing filaments. Adults with a horn that has near-horizontal darker lines, base of horn almost directly above snout, starts as a bump in juveniles about 10 cm long.

Size

  • Up to 50 cm (Length of specimen)

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Similar taxa

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Web resources

References

References that assist with identification

  • Allen, G., R. Steene, P. Humann and N. Deloach (2003). Reef fish identification: Tropical Pacific New World Publications Inc., Jacksonville, FL, USA.
  • Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene (1997). Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea: Second edition Crawford House Publishing, Bathurst, NSW.

Other references

  • Bellwood, D.R. and C.J. Fulton (2008). Sediment-mediated suppression of herbivory on coral reefs: decreasing resilience to rising sea levels and climate change? Limnology and Oceanography, 53: 2695-2701. LIRS catalog number 1259.
  • View all references