Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes), subfamily: Acanthurinae
Order: Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name: Palette surgeonfish
Max. size: 31.0 cm


Environment: reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 – 40 m
Climate: tropical; 24 – 26°C; 30°N - 30°S, 32°e - 170w
Importance: aquarium: commercial; price category: medium; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family


Distribution:
Gazetteer Indo-Pacific: East Africa, including the Mascarene Islands to Kiribati, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, and Samoa.


Biology:
Occurs in clear, current-swept terraces of seaward reefs. Observed in loose aggregations 1 or 2 meters above the bottom; juveniles and subadults typical in groups near isolated Pocillopora eydouxi coral heads and when alarmed hide themselves tightly among the branches. Feeds on zooplankton. Relatively uncommon and highly localized. A very popular and hardy aquarium fish. Anterolateral glandular groove with venom gland.


Info from www.fishbase.org