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Palette Surgeonfish

Paracanthurus hepatus

Palette Surgeonfish

Adult palette surgeonfish inhabit clear tropical coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific. They spend much of the day grazing algae from rocks and coral structures, helping limit algal growth on the reef. A pair of sharp, scalpel-like spines at the base of the tail can slash at close predators or rivals.

Type
Water / Venom
Conservation status
LC

Growth chain

  1. ?
  2. ?
  3. Palette Surgeonfish

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Range map records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY). Country outlines: Natural Earth.