WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Bluespine Unicornfish

Naso unicornis

Also known as: Bluespine Surgeonfish, Bluespine Tang, Bluespine Unicorn, Brown Unicornfish, Doctorfish, Humphead Unicornfish, Lancetfish, Longhorn Unicornfish, Longnose Unicornfish, Long-snouted Unicornfish, Thorntail, Thorntail Fish, Unicorn Tang

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2012
Adult
@fishx6 · Mirihi Island Resort, Maldives · May 20081 / 35

Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.

01

Overview

Found singly or in small schools over strong surge channels of lagoons and seaward reefs rich in sargassum growth.

Surgeonfish have a blade like spine in the tail that points outwards when bent, unicorns have two hook-like plates along the tail, these are used for defence and are as sharp as a surgeons scalpel, hence the name "Surgeonfish".
Some species are venomous.

02

How to identify

Head & Mouth
unicorn horn

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Exact location · 10
  • Country only · 25
LIVES IN

Found singly or in small schools over strong surge channels of lagoons and seaward reefs rich in sargassum growth.

04

Adult photos 35

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderAcanthuriformes
    5. familyAcanthuridae
    6. genusNaso
    7. speciesNaso unicornis (Forsskål, 1775)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Surgeonfishes-Tangs-Unicornfishes (Acanthuridae)