About Naso elegans (Rüppell, 1829)
Naso elegans, the elegant unicornfish, has the following counts of fin support structures: 6 spines and 26 to 30 soft rays (most commonly 28) in the dorsal fin, 2 spines and 27 to 30 soft rays (most commonly 29) in the anal fin, and 16 or more usually 17 fin rays in the pectoral fin. Each jaw holds 30 to 35 teeth; in adult individuals, these teeth are incisor-like with rounded edges. The depth of this fish's body is roughly equal to one quarter of its standard length, and the body becomes more elongated as the fish grows. Males have larger keels on the caudal peduncle than females, and also grow longer filaments from the caudal fin. The species' overall body colour is grey. It has a dark snout, separated from the grey head by a yellow bar running across the eyes. The dorsal fin is yellow, with a thin blue edge and a black band just inside the blue edge. The anal and pelvic fins are dark brown. The plates on the caudal peduncle are bright orange, with an intervening white patch. The caudal fin is yellowish, with a black submarginal band and black upper and lower edges. The maximum recorded total length of Naso elegans is 45 cm (18 inches), while a total length of 35 cm (14 inches) is more typical. This species is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its range extends from the Red Sea south along the east African coast to Durban, South Africa, and eastward across the Indian Ocean into the Pacific Ocean as far east as Bali, Indonesia. It is not found in waters off the mainland Indian subcontinent. In Australian waters, it has been recorded from Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Elegant unicornfish form small schools when they live on reef flats in coastal and inshore waters, and form larger schools in more oceanic waters.
