? Tang
Yellow Tang
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Perciformes Family: Acanthuridae Genus: Zebrasoma
Species
Zebrasoma desjardinii Zebrasoma flavescens Zebrasoma gemmatum Zebrasoma rostratum Zebrasoma scopas Zebrasoma veliferum Zebrasoma xanthurum

Tangs are a kind of saltwater fish which inhabit shallow reefs and beds of seagrass from the east coast of Africa northward to the Red Sea, over the broad span of the Atlantic, Indo-Pacific, and Oceania, and eastward to the Hawaiian Islands. The ideal temperature of their habitat is warm waters between the middle 70s and low 80s Fahrenheit (25 to 30 °C). The Zebrasoma comprise seven species of pointed-snout, disc-like bodied, sail-like finned, single peduncular-spined fishes and it is true that this genus of surgeonfishes is commonly accepted as being properly termed "Tang". Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1315x1039, 744 KB) Yellow Tang Zebrasoma flavescens at Bristol Zoo, Bristol, England. ... Binomial name Zebrasoma flavescens Bennett, 1828 The Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), also called Pacific tang, is a saltwater fish species of the family Acanthuridae. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (parasitic to flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders See text The Actinopterygii are the ray-finned fish. ... Families many, see text The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, include about 40% of all fish and are the largest order of vertebrates. ... Genera Acanthurus Ctenochaetus Naso (unicornfishes) Paracanthurus Prionurus Zebrasoma (tangs) Acanthuridae (thorn tail) is the family of surgeonfishes, tangs, and unicornfishes. ... Binomial name Zebrasoma desjardinii (Bennett, 1836) The Red Sea Sailfin Tang or Desjardins Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma desjardinii) is a marine reef Tang in the fish family Acanthuridae. ... Binomial name Zebrasoma flavescens Bennett, 1828 The Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), also called Pacific Tang, is a saltwater fish found commonly in shallow reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, west of Hawaii, east of Japan. ... For information on water from a sea or ocean, see sea water. ... Orders See text. ... A reef surrounding an islet. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... Map of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of islands that stretches 2,400 km in a northwesterly direction from the southern tip of the Island of Hawai‘i. ... Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after the German physicist Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736), who proposed it in 1724. ...

Tangs are usually placid community fish, many forming large groups or shoals, although fiercely territorial against other Tangs or similar shaped or coloured fish in a typical aquarium setting. All Tangs and Surgeon Fish are characterised by having a forward facing spine (two on some species of surgeon) on each side of the caudal peduncle (visible as a short, horizontal stripe on the base of the tail in the above picture). This spine, apart from terminating in a point, has angular edges that result in a scalpel-like sharpness along its length also. When alarmed, some Tangs can erect the spines sideways and slash at their opponent with rapid sideways movements of the tail. In other tangs, the spines are not retractable and are always in the offensive position. Great care must be exercised by aquarists should it be necessary to handle these fish. An encounter with even a small, frightened Tang can result in stitches. Large specimens are quite capable of inflicting deep, life-threatening injuries. Colloquially described as a "Fish with a flick-knife". Due mainly to their calm nature, such attacks on humans are rare. Aggression in Tangs is usually confined to presenting their tails to a would be predator or attacker and is usually minimal against conspecifics, some however have noticed the Purple Tang, Clown Tang and Sohal Tang to be more aggressive than most. Most aggression however is due to territory disputes. Genera Acanthurus Ctenochaetus Naso(unicornfishes) Paracanthurus Prionurus Zebrasoma(tangs) Acanthuridae (thorn tail) is the family of surgeonfishes, tangs, and unicornfishes. ... A scalpel is a very sharp knife used for surgery as well as various arts and crafts. ...

Adults range from 6 to 15 inches in length and most grow quickly even in Aquariums. When considering a Tang for your aquarium it is important to consider the size these fish can grow. Larger species such as the popular Regal Blue Tang (Finding Nemo), Naso or Lipstick Tang, Clown and Sohal can grow to 15 inches and require lots of swimming room and hiding places. Many also suggest adding aggresive tangs to your aquarium last as they are teritorial and may fight and possibly kill other fish. Mid-19th century tool for converting between different standards of the inch An inch is an Imperial and U.S. customary unit of length. ...

The character Dory is a Regal Tang fish. This picture, taken in a zoo aquarium, shows the astonishing blue of the real fish.

Regal Tang fish at Bristol Zoo, Bristol, England. ... Regal Tang fish at Bristol Zoo, Bristol, England. ...

References in media

The 2003 Pixar-animated movie Finding Nemo featured Dory, a regal blue tang fish voiced by Ellen DeGeneres 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pixar Animation Studios is an award-winning American computer-generated imagery (CGI) animation firm based in Emeryville, California (USA). ... 12 frames per second is the typical rate for an animated cartoon. ... Finding Nemo is a Academy Award-winning computer-animated film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released to theatres by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution in the United States on May 30, 2003 and in Australia on August 28, 2003. ... DeGeneres on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Ellen Lee DeGeneres (born January 26, 1958) is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and most recently host of the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show. ...

External links

• Fishwatcher's Guide - Zebrasoma