Sleek unicornfish
Naso hexacanthus
- Usual depth7–24 m
- Water temperature22–30 °C
- Best monthsMarch, April, and May
- How commonCommon
About this species
The sleek unicornfish, also known as the blue-tail unicorn, Thorpe's unicornfish, blacktongue unicornfish or ʻopelu kala, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is of value in commercial fisheries and as a game fish, and is also seen in aquaria.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Sleek unicornfish”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 135 records
- February: 454 records
- March: 570 records
- April: 588 records
- May: 646 records
- June: 457 records
- July: 548 records
- August: 557 records
- September: 455 records
- October: 193 records
- November: 79 records
- December: 13 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 7–24 m · Deepest record: 237 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 22–30 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Sleek unicornfish, Blacktongue Unicornfish, Black Unicornfish, Black Unicornfish, Sleek unicornfish, kala, Nohorn Unicorn, sleek unicornfish, Thorpe's Unicornfish
Names in 3 more languages
- Spanish
- Barbero Liso
- French
- Nason Jaune, Nason lisse, Nason noir
- Japanese
- Tenguhagi-modoki, Tenguhagimodoki, テングハギモドキ
Other scientific names: Callicanthus hexacanthus, Naseus vomer, Naso hexacantus, Naso tapeinosoma, Naso thorpei, Naso vomer, Priodon hexacanthus
Similar species
- Orangespine unicornfish
Naso lituratus
- Blue-spine nosefish
Naso unicornis
- White margin unicornfish
Naso annulatus
- Humpback unicornfish
Naso brachycentron
- Spotted unicornfish
Naso brevirostris
- Humpnose unicornfish
Naso tuberosus
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).
- 4,932 open-data records from 1855 to 2023.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.