Relevant synonyms None Misidentification None Meristic formula D, IX+24-26; A, III+24-26; P, 17; V, I+5; GR, 16-17  photo: David Darom

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body ellipsoid deep and compressed. Caudal fin lunate. Dorsal profile of head gently curved. Small terminal mouth with a single row of closely-set teeth with denticulate edges. Small eyes situated high on head. A single groove starts at the anterior lower edge of eye and extends forward and slightly downward. Body and head covered with small ctenoid scales. A single lancet-like spine on the caudal peduncle folds into a groove. color : body dark brown. On the upper anterior third of the body 20 longitudinal, undulating blue and light-yellow lines. An elliptical bright yellow area on the caudal peduncle surrounds the orange caudal spine. size : common 15-30 cm (max. 40 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Body shape and large caudal spine distinguish this species from all other Mediterranean species. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Mainly herbivorous but apparently supplements its diet with small benthic invertebrates. Eggs and larvae planktonic. habitat : rocky and hard substrate.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Southern Spain, 1987. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : tropical western Africa from Morocco to Angola. Mediterranean : recorded first in southern Spain (Crespo et al., 1987); later from Israel (Golani and Sonin, 1996). Several specimens of this west African species were sighted and photographed off the Mediterranean coast of Algeria in late 2001 and August 2002. More recently, recorded along the coasts of Tunisia. ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS None. speculated reasons for success : MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via Gibraltar. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Crespo J., Rey J.C. and Garcia A., 1987. Primera cita de Acanthurus monroviae Steindachner, 1876 y de Diodon eydouxii Brissout de Barneville, 1846 para la ictiofauna europa. Miscel. lània Zoològica, 11: 271-275. Golani D. and Sonin O., 1996. The occurrence of the tropical west African marine fishes Acanthurus monroviae (Acanthuridae) and Arius parkii (Ariidae) in the Levant. Aqua. Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology, 2: 1-3. Hamida F., Diatta Y., Golani D., Ben Souissi J., Guélorget O. and Capapé C., 2004. On the occurrence of the Monrovian surgeonfish, Acanthurus monroviae Steindachner, 1876 (Osteichthyes: Acanthuridae) off the coast of Algeria (southern Mediterranean). Acta Adriatica, 42: 181-185. FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: November 2013 ©ciesm 2002