Species: Zebrasoma flavescens, Yellow Sailfin-tang
tail spine white
Zebrasoma flavescens (Bennett, 1828)
Yellow Sailfin-tang
Body a strongly compressed disc; body depth of adults 55% SL; head profile steep; eye high on side of head; snout strongly extended, 57-71% SL; top and bottom snout profiles concave; mouth small, protrusible; teeth are toothed spatulas; dorsal fin V (IV-V), 23-26; anal fin III, 19-22; dorsal and anal fins extremely elevated, longest D ray 26% SL; pectoral 14-16; pelvic fin I, 5; tail fin straight edge; an oval patch of brush-like setae on rear side of body; a single depressible spine fits into a groove on the side of the tail base; scales very small, rough; lateral line complete.
Bright yellow; a (usually indistinct) white stripe along front of mid-side; tail spine white.
Reaches 20 cm; 41 years
Coral reefs and rocky bottoms
Depth range 1-81 m
North Pacific; introduced to southeast Florida.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
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- Reef only
- Corals
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Reef and soft bottom
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Data
- Herbivore
- Diet
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- Data
- Benthic microalgae
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Exotic (Introduced)
- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent
- Continent only
- Exotic (Introduced)
- GC non-endemic
- All species
- Residency
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- Vagrant
- Climate Zone
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- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 20
- Depth Range Min
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- 1
- Depth Range Max
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- 81
