Sawtail Surgeonfish

Common Name: Sawtail Surgeonfish
Scientific Name: Prionurus microlepidotus
Family: Acanthuridae
Found: QLD, NSW
Maximum Length: 70 cm

Sawtails are from a family that also includes Surgeonfish and Unicornfish. Sawtails are an oval shape with small mouths and have a series of bony plates and a small spine along the caudal peduncle. Sawtail Surgeonfish range from southern NSW to mid-northern Queensland.

Sawtail Surgeonfish change shape as they age being almost circular as juveniles and becoming more oval shaped as they mature. They are a dark grey to brown colour and are best identified by the row of 5 to 7 dark bony plates on the caudal peduncle.

Confusing Species: Spotted Sawtail

Spotted Sawtails range north from mid-coast NSW. They are similar in shape and size to Sawtail Surgeonfish but have a more yellow colouration with spots and sometimes faint bars on their sides. The most noticeable difference between Spotted Sawtails and Sawtail Surgeonfish is that the former have only 3 bony plates on the caudal peduncle compared with 5 to 7 on the Sawtail Surgeonfish.