Reef Aquarium Species Codexery

Purple tang

A striking purple tang endemic to the northwestern Indian Ocean.

Last updated

The purple tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum), also known as the yellowtail tang, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Acanthuridae, which includes surgeonfishes, unicornfishes, and tangs. It is endemic to the north western Indian Ocean, found in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, around the Arabian Peninsula into the Persian Gulf, and near Socotra. The species is notable for its striking dark blue to purple body contrasting with a bright yellow caudal fin, and it is a minor item in the aquarium trade.

Scientific classification

  1. KingdomAnimalia
  2. PhylumChordata
  3. ClassActinopterygii
  4. DivisionTeleostei
  5. OrderAcanthuriformes
  6. FamilyAcanthuridae
  7. GenusZebrasoma
  8. SpeciesZebrasoma xanthurum

Named by (Blyth, 1852)

Close relatives

Other species of Zebrasoma with a Codexery entry.

Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Zebrasoma xanthurum (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 219681 (CC BY 4.0)

Conservation status

Least Concern (LC)

  1. LC▲ this species
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX
Population trend
Not held in our sources — see the assessment
Assessment published
2012

Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category

How big is it?

Size comparison: Purple tang and a personA 0.37 m long purple tang drawn to scale next to a 1.8 m tall person. Schematic shapes, not a likeness.0.37 m1.8 m

Largest length in the source, 0.37 m, next to a 1.8 m person.

Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Zebrasoma xanthurum

Where the purple tang has been recorded

Where the purple tang has been recorded57 mapped locations from 963 GBIF occurrence records; marked places: Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Persian Gulf, Socotra, SardiniaRed SeaGulf of AdenPersian GulfSocotraSardinia

Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (963 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 11 inland records left out (institution coordinates). 2 isolated far-off records not drawn.

Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Background

The purple tang has a deep, laterally compressed body with a protruding snout and high dorsal and anal fins. Adults are dark blue to purple with a bright yellow caudal fin, while the head and anterior body bear black spots that extend onto adjacent fins; irregular black horizontal lines mark the rest of the body and fins except the caudal fin. Juveniles and subadults have dark brown longitudinal lines on their bodies. The maximum recorded total length is 36.7 cm, though 10 cm is more typical.

This species is endemic to the north western Indian Ocean, occurring in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, around the Arabian Peninsula into the Persian Gulf, and near Socotra. A record from Sardinia is thought to be an aquarium release, and a record from the Maldives is considered a misidentification; the type locality of Sri Lanka is thought to be erroneous. It inhabits coral-rich or rocky areas at depths down to 20 m. Zebrasoma xanthurum is a herbivorous grazer of filamentous algae, feeding during the day in single individuals or pairs.

At sunset, it stops feeding and moves into shelter among corals or in crevices for the night. Juveniles are cryptic and hide among corals. The species is a minor item in the aquarium trade.

Did You Know?

Related entries

International Union for Conservation of Nature

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Test yourself

Three questions drawn from this entry’s sources. Pick an answer to check it.

1. What is the IUCN Red List category of the purple tang?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is Least Concern.

From the source: “The IUCN assess its conservation status on a global level as Least Concern, but in the Persian Gulf it has a small area of suitable habitat that is subject to destruction by coastal development and is assessed as Vulnerable.”

2. In what year was the purple tang first scientifically described?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is 1852.

From the source: “Zebrasoma xanthurum was first formally described as Acanthurus xanthurus in 1852 by the English zoologist Edward Blyth with its type locality given as Sri Lanka.”

3. What is the scientific name of the purple tang?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is Zebrasoma xanthurum.

From the source: “Zebrasoma xanthurum, the purple tang or yellowtail tang, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae which includes the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs.”

Answers checked against the source article

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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