ACANTHURIDAE


Naso hexacanthus
(photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)


Naso hexacanthus
(Bleeker, 1855)
Sleek Unicornfish

D V-VII (usually VI), 26-29; A II, 27-30 (usually 28-29); P1 17-18 (usually 17).

Body moderately deep, 2.6-3.0 in SL in adults. Dorsal profile of head sloping and smoothly convex. Interorbital space strongly convex with a slight median ridge. Caudal fin emarginated in young, truncate in adults. Caudal peduncle with 2 bony plates. Color: body brown to bluish gray, slading ventrally to yellowish; edge of opercle and preopercle usually with a dark brown band; dorsal and anal fins yellowish with faint diagonal brown bands and a blue margin; caudal fin blue with a broad, brownish yellow, posterior border that narrows toward corners of fin. Size: maximum length 75 cm, commonly to 50 cm. Distribution: occurring throughout most of the Indo-Pacific. Remarks: found from a submarine at depths to 150 m; not common in depths less than 15 m.