Bluelined Surgeonfish

head and anterior body blue-grey with numerous close-set small brownish yellow to dark brown spots, becoming longitudinal lines on rest of body (Ref 9808).Description: Characterized further by having symmetrical upper and lower head profile; alternating longitudinal lines of pale blue and orange brown on side of body; dark fins (alternating dark and pale lines on dorsal and anal); caudal spine length 2.5-3.0 in head length; greatest depth of body 1.8-2.2 in SL (Ref. 90102).

Dorsal spines (total): 6 - 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25 - 27; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 23 - 24

A rare species that occurs in steep, current-swept drop-offs (Ref. 9710, 48637). Usually seen well off the bottom (Ref. 1920). Solitary or in small groups (Ref. 90102). Planktivore (Ref. 37816). Minimum depth reported from Ref. 27115.

aquarium: commercial

分布於印度-太平洋區，包括印尼、菲律賓、台灣、馬里亞納群島、新加勒多尼亞和社會群島等。台灣綠島海域有分布。

罕見之種，一般以流刺網或潛水鏢魚法等捕獲。可食用。

體呈橢圓形而側扁。頭小，頭背部輪廓不特別凸出。口小，端位，上下頜各具一列扁平齒，齒固定不可動，齒緣具缺刻。背鰭及臀鰭硬棘尖銳，分別具VI-VII棘及III棘，各鰭條皆不延長；胸鰭近三角形；尾鰭近截形或內凹，成魚時上下葉延長如絲。體藍灰色，頭部及體前部密佈黃褐色斑點，體側後半則形成縱紋。

主要棲息於潮流經過的礁區斜坡上，深度可達90公尺左右，通常會停棲於底層中。以大型藻類及絲狀藻為食。

Acanthurus nubilus is an herbivorous tropical fish also known as the bluelined surgeon or the pin-striped surgeon. It was first named by Fowler and Bean in 1929 and despite being a rare species, is used in aquariums.

The etymology of the name comes from Greek language, where akantha means thorn and oura means tail.He is found in reef-associated waters, at a depth between 5–90 meters, but more often up until 40 meters. Acanthurus nubilus can be found in Indo-West Pacific, more specifically in Indonesia, Society Islands and New Caledonia.