Trivia about the Surgeonfish

According to the Animal-World website (http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/tangs/tangs.php): “The Acanthuridae family contains the fish that are known as Surgeonfish, Tangs, Unicornfish, and doctorfish. The name “surgeonfish” is derived from their possessing erectable razor sharp spines called ‘scalpels’ at the base of their bodies just in front of the tail fin. These spines or scalpels are very sharp and can cut like a knife. They have oval bodies that are very compressed laterally and small mouths adapted for nibbling and scraping small organisms from the rocks and coral.”

Stamps featuring the Surgeonfish

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