Acanthurus sohal – Sohal Surgeonfish
We do not yet have a species description for Acanthurus sohal – Sohal Surgeonfish.
Warning
This species has a razor-sharp blade at the base of its caudal fin. These retractable scalpel-like prongs are a natural way to defend themselves. They only unfold when the fish is excited or feels threatened. However, they can cause very deep flesh wounds, often leading to infections. The infections are characterized by swelling and discoloration of the wound. This can last for several hours. Due to the infections caused by scalpel wounds, it is suspected that they have venom glands.
Copyright images
zsispeo – CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
John de Lange
