Acanthurus pyroferus, chocolate surgeonfish, mimic surgeonfish, orange-gilled surgeonfish, Pacific mimic surgeon, and yellowspot surgeon, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the familyAcanthuridae, which includes the sugeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Acanthurus pyroferus has the specific name pyroferus, which means "firebearer", this is thought to be a reference to the orange colour (described as saffron by Kittlitz) to the rear of the gill slit and above the pectoral fin.[5]
Acanthurus pyroferus has its dorsal fin supported by 8 spines and between 27 and 30 soft rays while the anal fin is supported by 3 spines and between 24 and 28 soft rays.[2] The overall colour of this fish's body is yellowish brown with a white band around its mouth. There is a band of dark colour running from the chin to the upper margin of the operculum with a patch of orange coloration around the base of the pectoral fin. The caudal fin has a white posterior margin.[6] The maximum published total length of this species is 29 cm (11 in).[2]
Acanthurus pyroferus is found in the Indo-Pacific. In the Indian Ocean it is found at the Scott and Ashmore Reef, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands while in the Pacific it extends as far east as French Polynesia and the Line Islands, north to Wakayama Prefecture in Japan and south to New South Wales. It is found at depths between 2 and 60 m (6 ft 7 in and 196 ft 10 in), living solitarily on reefs.[1]
Acanthurus pyroferus juveniles mimicCentropyge flavissimus but in Palau where this species is absent, they mimic C. vrolikii.[2] This species feeds by grazing on algae and dteritus.[1] The juveniles may be venomous as there are grooves in the spines but the ability to produce venom appears to be lost in adults.[2]
