Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes), subfamily: Nasinae
Order: Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name: Orangespine unicornfish
Max. size: 46.0 cm


Environment: reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 – 90m
Climate: tropical; 24 – 26°C; 35°N - 30°S
Importance: fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial; price category: medium; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family


Distribution:
Gazetteer Pacific Ocean: Honshu, Japan south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia and east to the Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia, and Pitcairn. Eastern Pacific: Clipperton Island. Once regarded a wide-ranging Indo-Pacific species, the Indian Ocean population is now recognized as a separate species, Naso elegans.


Biology:
Found in areas of coral, rock, or rubble of lagoon and seaward reefs, Ref. 48637. Adults usually in small groups. Juveniles in shallow rocky reefs, sometimes in small aggregations mixed with other acanthurids of similar size. Feeds mainly on leafy brown algae (Sargassum and Dictyota). Sometimes in large aggregations. The species is very seldom poisonous. Pair-spawning has been observed.


Info from www.fishbase.org