Naso (genus)

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Unicorn fishes
Spotted unicornfish, Naso brevirostris
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Perciformes Family: Acanthuridae Genus: Naso Lacépède, 1801
Species
See text.

The unicorn fishes are 17 species of tropical marine surgeonfishes in the genus Naso. They are so named because of a spike that protrudes from its forehead; however some species have a bulbous protrusion rather than a pronounced spike, and some lack a spike altogether. Unicorn fishes usually have a pair of spines on each side of the tail shaft that are used for defense.

[edit] Species

• Whitemargin unicornfish, Naso annulatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825).
• Humpback unicornfish, Naso brachycentron (Valenciennes, 1835).
• Spotted unicornfish, Naso brevirostris (Cuvier, 1829).
• Naso caeruleacauda Randall, 1994.
• Gray unicornfish, Naso caesius Randall & Bell, 1992.
• Elegant unicornfish, Naso elegans (Rüppell, 1829).
• Horseface unicornfish, Naso fageni Morrow, 1954.
• Sleek unicornfish, Naso hexacanthus (Bleeker, 1855).
• Orangespine unicornfish, Naso lituratus (Forster, 1801).
• Elongate unicornfish, Naso lopezi Herre, 1927.
• Naso maculatus Randall & Struhsaker, 1981.
• Squarenose unicornfish, Naso mcdadei Johnson, 2002.
• Slender unicorn, Naso minor (Smith, 1966).
• Naso reticulatus Randall, 2001.
• Oneknife unicornfish, Naso thynnoides (Cuvier, 1829).
• Bulbnose unicornfish, Naso tonganus (Valenciennes, 1835).
• Humpnose unicornfish, Naso tuberosus Lacépède, 1801.
• Bluespine unicornfish, Naso unicornis (Forsskål, 1775).
• Bignose unicornfish, Naso vlamingii (Valenciennes, 1835).

[edit] Gallery

Orangespine unicornfish, Naso lituratus

Elongate unicornfish, Naso lopezi

Bluespine unicornfish, Naso unicornis

Whitemargin unicornfish, Naso annulatus

[edit] References

• "Naso". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
• Dallas World Aquarium
• Wetwebmedia.com
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