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Powder-blue surgeonfish

Acanthurus leucosternon

  • Fish
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • Usual depth6–20 m
  • Water temperature23–30 °C
  • Best monthsFebruary
  • How commonOccasional
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About this species

Acanthurus leucosternon, commonly known as the blue surgeonfish, powder blue tang or powder-blue surgeonfish, 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 Ocean.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Acanthurus leucosternon”, 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: 1 records
  • February: 181 records
  • March: 99 records
  • April: 90 records
  • May: 9 records
  • June: 5 records
  • July: 7 records
  • August: 2 records
  • September: 5 records
  • October: 2 records
  • November: 10 records
  • December: 11 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 6–20 m · Deepest record: 36 m

  • 0–10 m: 128 records
  • 10–20 m: 110 records
  • 20–30 m: 26 records
  • 30–40 m: 6 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 23–30 °C

  • 22–24 °C: 2 records
  • 24–26 °C: 18 records
  • 26–28 °C: 251 records
  • 28–30 °C: 91 records

Names and classification

English
Powder-blue surgeonfish, Blue Surgeonfish, Painted Surgeon, Powderblue Surgeon, powder-blue surgeonfish, Powderblue surgeonfish, Powder Blue Surgeonfish, Powder-blue Tang, Powder Blue Tang
Names in 4 more languages
German
Weißbrust-Doktorfisch, Weißkehl-Doktorfisch
Spanish
Pez Cirujano Azul Cielo
French
Chirurgien à Poitrine Blanche, Chirurgien poudré
Thai
ปลาขี้ตังเบ็ดฟ้าอกขาว

Other scientific names: Acanthurus delisiani, Acanthurus delisianus, Acanthurus leucosternum, Hepatus leucosternon, Rhombotides leucosternon

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).
  • 1,122 open-data records from 1832 to 2023.

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