Description:

Dorsal spines: 9; Dorsal rays: 26-28; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 25-26.

Medium to large-sized surgeonfish with deep body. Large adults with strongly convex forehead. Adults with 18 - 21 upper teeth and 20 - 22 lower 
teeth. Minute scales. Dorsal fin with soft part having longer base than spinous part. Caudal peduncle with one large, folding spine. Caudal fin of adults 
lunate. 

Colour. Body brown, shading to yellowish-brown below, with numerous irregular longitudinal greyish-blue lines. Head yellowish-brown with small orange 
yellow spots and irregular markings on cheek. An eye-sized blue edged round black spot immediately behind the eye at the upper end of gill opening 
followed by a diffuse orange yellow bar from behind spot to below pectoral fin. Mouth white. Dorsal and anal fins mainly yellow with a blue line at base and a blue 
margin. Caudal spine socket edged in black. a white band at caudal-fin base. Caudal fin lobes orange yellow shading outwardly to pale blue, the central 
part of fin brown. 

Maturity: Unknown. Max length : 50.0 cm TL.

Generally found at clearwater seaward reefs and drop-offs (depth 4 to 50 m, usually below 30 m). Usually found singly or in pairs grazing on reefs or 
compact sand surfaces and is relatively easy to approach underwater. Juveniles found in shallow protected reefs, usually between soft coral, in 0.2-3 m 
depth. 

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It appears to be a relatively rare component of the artisanal catch though ready 
confusion with the similar  A. dussumieri makes actual catch abundance difficult to assess. 

At a glance can be mistaken for A. dussumieri. The round black spot behind the eye is the most diagnostic marking. 

Bray, D.J. (2023). Acanthurus bariene in Fishes of Australia, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1021 (23/09/23). 
Choat, J.H. et al. (2012). Acanthurus bariene. The IUCN Red List 2012: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T177978A1509145.en. (23/09/23).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2023). FishBase. Acanthurus bariene https://www.fishbase.se/summary/acanthurus-bariene (23/09/23). 
Randall, J.E. (2001). Surgeonfishes of Hawaii and the World. ISBN: 1-56647-561-9

Nevill, J.E.G. (2023). Acanthurus bariene, Black-spot surgeonfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/acanthurus-bariene-lesson-1831/