Acanthurus pyroferus

Taxonomy

Acanthurus pyroferus was first formally described in 1834 by the Prussian explorer and naturalist Heinrich von Kittlitz with its type locality given as Uléa in the Caroline Islands. The genus Acanthurus is one of two genera in the tribe Acanthurini which is one of three tribes in the subfamily Acanthurinae which is one of two subfamilies in the family Acanthuridae.

Etymology

Acanthurus pyroferus has the specific name pyroferus, which means "firebearer", this is thought to be a reference to the orange colour (described as saffron by Kittlitz) to the rear of the gill slit and above the pectoral fin.

Description

Acanthurus pyroferus has its dorsal fin supported by 8 spines and between 27 and 30 soft rays while the anal fin is supported by 3 spines and between 24 and 28 soft rays. The maximum published total length of this species is 29 cm.

Distribution and habitat

Acanthurus pyroferus is found in the Indo-Pacific. In the Indian Ocean it is found at the Scott and Ashmore Reef, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands while in the Pacific it extends as far east as French Polynesia and the Line Islands, north to Wakayama Prefecture in Japan and south to New South Wales. It is found at depths between 2 and, living solitarily on reefs.

Biology

This species feeds by grazing on algae and detritus. The juveniles may be venomous as there are grooves in the spines but the ability to produce venom appears to be lost in adults.{{Multiple image Acanthurus pyroferus juveniles mimic Centropyge flavissima in the central and eastern islands of the South Pacific, but in the western Pacific, such as Palau where this species is absent, they mimic C. vrolikii. In areas where both C. flavissima and C. vrolikii occur, such as at Vanuatu, A. pyroferus juveniles have been recorded mimicking either species, but also sometimes appearing to mimic C. flavissima × vrolikii hybrids.

References

References

1. Choat, J.H.. (2012). "''Acanthurus pyroferus''".
2. {{FishBase. Acanthurus. pyroferus. (2023)
3. {{Cof genus
4. (2016). "Fishes of the World". Wiley.
5. (12 January 2021). "Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 2): Families EPHIPPIDAE, LEIOGNATHIDAE, SCATOPHAGIDAE, ANTIGONIIDAE, SIGANIDAE, CAPROIDAE, LUVARIDAE, ZANCLIDAE and ACANTHURIDAE". Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara.
6. Bray, D.J.. (2022). "''Acanthurus pyroferus''". Museums Victoria.
7. Randall, John E.. (2005). "A Review of Mimicry in Marine Fishes". Zoological Studies.