Species: Zebrasoma xanthurum, Yellowtail sailfin-tang, Yellowtail Sailfin Tang


Zebrasoma xanthurum (Blyth, 1852)
Yellowtail sailfin-tang
Body a strongly compressed disc; body depth of adults 54-59% SL; head profile steep; eye high on side of head; snout strongly extended; top and bottom snout profiles concave; mouth small, protrusible; teeth are toothed spatulas, up to 20 top and 22 bottom teeth; dorsal fin IV, 24-25; A III, 19-20, dorsal and anal fins extremely elevated, longest D ray ~28% SL; pectoral 15; pelvic fin I, 5; tail fin straight edge; adult with a 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.
Head, body and dorsal, anal and pelvic fins dark blue; head with dense grey dots; tail fin bright yellow; pectorals blue, rear ¼ yellow. Juvenile: dark blue, body with fine grey stripes, head with dense grey dots; dorsal and anal fins with grey rays; tail fin yellow.
Reaches 22 cm.
Coral reefs and rocky bottoms
Depth range 1-61 m.
Red Sea & Arabian Gulf; introduced to southeast Florida

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
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- Reef only
- Corals
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- 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
- No pelagic phase
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- Greater Caribbean non-endemic
- All species.
- Exotic (Introduced)
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent
- Continent only
- Exotic (Introduced)
- All species..
- GC non-endemic
- 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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- 22
- Depth Range Min
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- 1
- Depth Range Max
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- 61