In the spotlight
What is El Niño?
A new El Niño event, described as “very strong”, is set to occur from this spring onwards.
Identity card
Whitecheek surgeonfish
- Scientific name:
- Acanthurus nigricans
- Family:
- Acanthuridae
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Year of description:
- 1758 (par Carl Linnaeus)
- IUCN Status:
- Least Concern
- Distribution:
-
Indo-Pacific: from Indonesia to Mexico, including Hawaii, Polynesia, Galápagos, Cocos Islands, southern Japan, Australia.
- Habitat:
-
Exposed lagoons and coral reefs, between 1 and 67 metres deep.
- Size:
Between 15 and 21 cm, up to 36 cm.
- Diet:
-
Herbivore, filamentous algae.
