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Achilles tang

Acanthurus achilles

  • Fish
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • Usual depth4–18 m
  • Water temperature23–29 °C
  • Best monthsMarch
  • How commonOccasional
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About this species

Acanthurus achilles, the Achilles tang, redtail surgeonfish or redspot surgeonfish, is a marine ray-finned fish in the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in various part of the Pacific Ocean.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Acanthurus achilles”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 315 records
  • February: 404 records
  • March: 950 records
  • April: 322 records
  • May: 172 records
  • June: 129 records
  • July: 170 records
  • August: 206 records
  • September: 223 records
  • October: 73 records
  • November: 12 records
  • December: 1 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 4–18 m · Deepest record: 30 m

  • 0–10 m: 1,366 records
  • 10–20 m: 1,371 records
  • 20–30 m: 247 records
  • 30–40 m: 2 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 23–29 °C

  • 22–24 °C: 1 records
  • 24–26 °C: 132 records
  • 26–28 °C: 204 records
  • 28–30 °C: 476 records

Names and classification

English
Achilles tang, Achilles Surgeonfish, Achilles Tang, Pacific Achilles Tang, Redblotch Surgeonfish, redspot surgeonfish, redspot tang, Red-spotted Surgeonfish, redtail surgeonfish
Names in 5 more languages
German
Achilles-Doktorfisch, Orangen-Doktorfisch
Spanish
Cirujano, cirujano encendido, Navajón de Aguiles
Filipino
Labahita
French
Chirurgien à tache rouge, Chiurgien d'Achille
Japanese
Akatsukihagi, アカツキハギ

Other scientific names: Acanthurus achillas, Acanthurus aterrimus, Hepatus achilles, Hepatus aterrimus, Teuthis achilles, Teuthis aterrimus

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 3,204 open-data records from 1889 to 2019.

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