Order Perciformes Family Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes) Sailfin tang Zebrasoma veliferum(Bloch, 1795). 40.0 cm SL Dorsal spines (total): 4 - 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 29-33; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 23 - 26.
Distribution; Indo-Pacific/from Christmas Island(Indian Ocean) and Viet Nam eastward to Pitcairn group, Hawaiian Islands, northward to southern Japan, southward to Rottnest Is., and New South Wales, Australia and Rapa, French Polynesia except the Marquesas. General; The body of the sailfin tang is disc-shaped with a much elevated dorsal fin and a big anal fin. It has an extended snout. On each side of the caudal peduncle is a single sharp spine (the so-called scalpel) which is used for defence and to establish dominance. When the fish is not using its scalpel, it is folded down inside a groove. Though their skin is light beige with stripes, it can turn dark brown under stress. The sailfin tang is decorated with broad, pale yellow bands that alternate with darker bands over its body. The banding extends into both dorsal and anal fins. On the darker bands are yellow dots and stripes. The caudal fin is yellow. The head is adorned with yellow dots. A dark band with yellow dots runs across the eye and another dark band with dots is located right behind the eye. Juvenile specimens look similar to the adult fish, but with more yellow colouring.
Occurs in lagoon and seaward reefs from the lower surge zone to a depth of at least 30 m. Zebrasoma veliferum is usually encountered as solitary individuals, but occasionally in pairs. Solitary juveniles shelter within branching corals or among rocks on shallow reef flats, sometimes turbid reefs.` Benthopelagic. They are herbivorous. Feeds on leafy macroalgae. It possesses, fewer and larger pharyngeal teeth, compared to the other Zebrasoma spp. Paired spawning. Maximum age was given as 27 years. It is harvested for the aquarium trade, but is not a major component. The species is never poisonous.
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