Finelined Surgeonfish

This species is characterize by the following head with small pale (rust colour in life) spots; black around peduncular spine groove of adults extending well ahead of front of spine (by a distance almost as long as spine on a 24.5 cm SL specimen); caudal fin with a very narrow white posterior margin (broader in young); body depth of adults (> 20 cm SL) 2.2.-2.5 times in SL (Ref. 9808); anterior gill rakers 16-18; posterior 21-23; when preserved, color of body brown; head spotted with bands in front of eye; tip of pectoral fin paler than the base; upper end of gill opening with a faint dark brown elongate blotch; dark brown color encircling caudal spine; caudal fin base white (Ref. 1920).

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25 - 26; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 23 - 24

Also Ref. 58534.

Inhabits silty coastal reefs (Ref. 9710). A good food fish (Ref. 3132).

fisheries: commercial