MARINE ANIMALS THAT STING 



87 



SURGEONFISHES 



Surgeonfishes are members of the family, Acanthuridae, and are 

 reef-dwellers of warm seas. The principal genus of this family, 

 Acanthurus, is characterized by the presence of a sharp, lance-like, 

 movable spine on the side, at the base of the tail fin (Fig. 52) . When 

 the fish becomes excited, the spine, the point of which is directed 

 forward, can be extended at right angles from the body of the fish. 

 With a quick, lashing movement of the tail and the extended spine, 

 large surgeonfishes are likely to inflict a deep and painful wound. 



Fig. 54. Dragonet, Callionymus lyra Linnaeus. Male, lower left; female, 

 upper right. (From Poll) Note the preopercular spines which are believed 



to be venomous. 



Under normal circumstances, the spine remains adducted within 

 a deep recess partially surrounded by an integumentary sheath. 

 As to whether or not surgeonfishes' spines are venomous, this has 

 not as yet been determined. 

 Species of Surgeonfishes: 



Yellow-Finned Surgeonfish, Acanthurus xanthopterus Cuvier 

 and Valenciennes (Fig. 53, Top). Indo-Pacific area. 



Bleeker's Surgeonfish, Acanthurus bleekeri Giinther (Fig. 53, 

 Center). Found throughout the Indo-Pacific area, with the excep- 

 tion of Hawaii. 



Surgeonfish, Naso lituratus (Bloch and Schneider) (Fig. 53, 

 Bottom). Ranges from Polynesia to east Africa and the Red Sea. 



