Описание
Naso vlamingii (commonly known as the Bignose unicornfish, Vlaming's unicornfish, scribbled unicornfish, or zebra unicornfish) is a large marine surgeonfish belonging to the family Acanthuridae.
Classification & Naming
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Scientific Name: Naso vlamingii (Valenciennes, 1835)
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Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes and Unicornfishes)
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Genus: Naso (Unicornfishes)
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Named After: Admiral Cornelis de Vlamingh
Physical Description & Appearance
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Size: Grows up to 60 cm (24 inches) in total length.
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Body Shape: Elongated, fusiform body with unusually tall dorsal and anal fins.
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Head & Snout: Adults develop a prominent, convexly rounded snout/forehead protuberance (bulbous face bulge).
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Coloration & Markings:
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Base color ranges from dark yellow-brown, grey, or olive to deep blue.
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Features thin, irregular vertical blue lines on the flanks that break up into small blue spots dorsally and ventrally.
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A thick, bright electric-blue stripe extends from the eye and projects across the front of the snout protuberance.
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Blue lips and outer margins on the dorsal and anal fins.
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The species has the ability to rapidly flash or hide its brilliant blue markings depending on mood or social display.
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Caudal Peduncle: Features two pairs of sharp cutting keels on bony plates on each side. Adult males can also grow long filaments at the ends of the caudal fin.
Distribution & Habitat
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Geographic Range: Indo-pan-Pacific region—from East Africa across to the Galápagos Islands, north to southern Japan, and south to the southern Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, and French Polynesia (Tuamotus).
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Depth Range: Found in tropical marine waters from 1 to 50 meters (usually 4 to 50 meters).
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Habitat: Typically inhabit deep lagoons, drop-offs, and seaward coral reefs.
Biology & Behavior
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Diet: Omnivorous. They feed on benthic algae (such as Cladophora, Dictyota, and Padina) as well as zooplankton and small planktonic invertebrates captured in mid-water aggregations.
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Social Habits: Form loose schools, pairs, or mid-water feeding aggregations during the day.
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Lifespan: Can live up to 45 years in the wild (and around 40 years in captivity).
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Conservation Status: Listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
Aquarium Care Notes
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Due to their large adult size (up to 60 cm) and active swimming nature, they require a very large marine aquarium (often recommended at 1,200 liters or more) with strong water flow and extensive open swimming space.
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Juveniles start off drab/gray and transform dramatically as they mature
