Blue Unicornfish

Naso caeruleacauda, is a tropical fish found in coral reefs around Indonesia and the Philippines.

Description

Brown oval-shaped body, blue tail with straight (or near-straight) rear margin, and pointed head profile in front of eye. Often with a white patch on tail base. Dorsal spines (total): 4 - 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 28-30; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 29. No narrow dark bars on body. Caudal fin blue in life. Dorsal profile of head from above upper lip to above centre of eye straight. Anterior interorbital region and adjacent space between nostrils strongly convex. Body depth 2.75 to 2.8 times in SL. N. hexacanthus (Sleek Unicornfish) has dark oblique bar on operculum, and N. caesius (Silverblotched Unicornfish) has more rounded head profile in front of eye.

Distribution

Western Central Pacific: Philippines and Indonesia

Habitat

Found in schools, mainly along outer reef walls to moderate depths in pursuit of plankton, usually below 15 m.