DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

ZOOGEOGRAPHY

ECOLOGY

BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

VALUE OF FISH RESOURCES

CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

DANGEROUS MARINE FISHES

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

BIBLIOGRAPHY

SPECIES INDEX

CHAMORRO NAMES

ACANTHURIDAE (SURGEONFISHES)

Ctenochaetus striatus (Quoy & Gaimard)
(Common Bristle-toothed Tang; Hugupau)
SL: to 20 cm, usually under 15 cm (photo: 12 cm SL, Uruno, 5 m)

This common surgeonfish occurs on most protected and exposed reefs from 1 to at least 20 m in or near hard-substrate areas.  Adults occur singly or in large, mixed-species aggregations; juveniles sometimes occur in enormous schools among lagoon coral heads.  Species of Ctenochaetus feed primarily on detritus and associated microorganisms that coat hard surfaces since their delicate, fine teeth are unsuited for feeding on most filamentous algae.  They are thus a key link in the uptake of ciguatera toxin into the food chain and are sometimes toxic themselves.  The toxin is produced by certain species of one-celled algae and is cumulatively stored in the herbivores that eat them, reaching the highest concentrations in large predators at the top of the food chain.

INDO-PACIFIC: Red Sea to Mangareva and the Line Is., n. to s. Japan, s. to New Caledonia.