Photo. (c) 2019 John Nevill.
Photo. (c) 2019 John Nevill.
Genus: Acanthuridae (Surgeon-/Unicorn- fishes), Acanthurinae
Scientific Name: Acanthurus dussumieri (Valenciennes, 1835)
English Name: Eyestripe surgeonfish
Creole Name: Sirizyen zonn
French Name: Chirurgien couronné
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC)
Description:
Dorsal spines: 3; Dorsal rays: 25-27; Anal rays: 24-25.
Greyish to greenish brown dorsally, with small pale spots. Whitish ventrally with yellow spots that can coalesce to form a reticulum particularly posteriorly. 3 large
oval white spots along the back and a small one dorsally on caudal peduncle; a broad white streak often on side of body posterior to upper end of gill opening. White
blotches and mid-lateral stripe can disappear with growth. An oblique groove before the eye; large bony scales behind gill opening. Caudal peduncle depressed, slender
and tapering. Yellow bands on dorsal and anal fins. Caudal fin, yellow with white bars and stripes pattern and diffuse black margin, double emarginate, lobes longer
with growth.
Size:
Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 60cm TL
Habitat and Ecology:
Reef associated. Inhabits mud and silt sand bottoms (depth 7-350m), usually 7-100m depth on sand, sponge, and weed bottoms. Feeds on benthic animals, including crabs,
molluscs and sea urchins. Juveniles in sheltered coastal bays and estuaries.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in both the fish trap and hand line fisheries and is, along with Sufflamen fraenatum,
the most commonly caught triggerfish in the artisanal fishery.
Notes:
Abalistes stellaris is a synonym for this species.
References:
Bray, D.J. (2018). Abalistes stellatus in Fishes of Australia, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/759 (30/10/18).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2018). FishBase https://www.fishbase.de/summary/abalistes-stellatus (30/10/18)
Matsuura, K. (2015). Taxonomy and systematics of tetraodontiform fishes: a review focusing primarily on progress in the period from 1980 to 2014. Ichthyol Res (2015)
62:72–113 DOI 10.1007/s10228-014-0444-5
Matsuura, K. & Motomura, H. (2015). Abalistes stellatus. The IUCN Red List 2015: e.T193587A56996805. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/193587/56996805 (18/06/22). .
Matsuura K, Yoshino T (2004). A new triggerfish of the genus Abalistes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) from the western Pacific. Rec Aust Mus 56:189-194
Smith, M & Heemstra, P Eds. (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G. & Mason-Parker, C. (2019). Abalistes stellatus, Starry triggerfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/abalistes-stellatus-anonymous-1798/ (updated 18/06/22).
Description:
Dorsal spines: 9; Dorsal rays: 25-27; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 24-26.
Pale yellowish brown body with paler/pale blue irregular longitudinal lines on head and body. Orange-yellow band between eyes continued behind to gill cover as large
irregular spot. Opercular membrane black. Caudal peduncle bears single, sharp, forward-pointing erectile spine on each side. Sheath of spine white, the socket edged
in black. Dorsal and anal fins of adults largely yellow with narrow blue band at base and a blue margin. Caudal fin, lunate in adults, deep blue with numerous small
blackish spots, the basal parts of the lobes orange-yellow.
Size:
Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 54.0 cm TL. Common length 35.0 cm TL.
Habitat and Ecology:
Juveniles occur on shallow reefs with good algal growth. Adults are generally found on seaward reefs at a depth of 10-130m. Occurs singly or in groups, it is a pair
spawner. Feeds on surface film of fine green and blue-green algae, diatoms, and detritus covering sand and the hard substratum of reefs.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the fish trap fishery, but is not very common.
Notes:
References:
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2018). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.de/summary/acanthurus-dussumieri (16/09/18).
Heemstra P & Heemstra, E. (2004). Coastal Fishes of Southern Africa. NISC SAIAB. ISBN: 1-920033-01-7.
Randall, J.E. (2001). Surgeonfishes of Hawaii and the World. ISBN: 1-56647-561-9
Nevill, J. (2013). A Species Identification Guide for Commonly Caught Fish in the Seychelles Near-Shore Artisanal Fishery. GOS/UNDP/GEF.
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G. & Mason-Parker, C. (2019). Acanthurus dussumieri, Eyestripe surgeonfish. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/acanthurus-dussumieri-valenciennes-1835-2/ (Edited 11/06/22).
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