408 The Squamipinnes 
fish, lancet-fish, tang, barbero, etc., and it forms a very effective 
weapon against fish or man who would seize one of these 
creatures by the tail. The species have the center of distribution 
in the East Indies and have not reached Europe. Three species 
are found in the West Indies. The blue tang (Teuthis ceruleus) 
is chiefly bright blue. The common tang, Teuthis chirurgus, is 
brown with bluish streaks, while a third species, Teuthits baht- 
anus, has a forked caudal fin. Very close to this species is 
Teuthis crestonis, of the west coast of Mexico, and both are 
closely related to Teuthts matotdes, found from India to Hawaii. 
Teuthts triostegus, of Japan and Polynesia and the East 
Indies, is covered with cross-bands alternately black and pale. 
Fig. 344.—Brown Tang, Teuthis bahianus (Ranzani). Tortugas, Fla. 
In Hawai this is replaced by the very similar Teuthis sand- 
wichensis. Many species are found about Hawaii and the other 
Polynesian Islands. Teuthis achilles has a large blotch of bril- 
hant scarlet on the tail, and Teuthis olivaceus a bright-colored 
mark on the shoulder. Teuthis lineatus, yellow with blue 
stripes, a showily colored fish of the coral reefs, is often poison- 
ous, its flesh producing ciguatera. 
Zebrasoma differs from Teuthis in having but 4 or 5 dorsal 
spines instead of ro or 11. In this genus the soft dorsal fin is very 
high. Zebrasoma flavescens, sometimes brown, sometimes bright 
