Blue-tail unicorn, Thorpe's unicornfish, Blacktongue unicornfish, ʻopelu kala
The sleek unicornfish (Naso hexacanthus), also known as the blue-tail unicorn, Thorpe's unicornfish, blacktongue unicornfish or ʻopelu kala, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is of value in commercial fisheries and as a gamefish, and is also seen in aquaria.
The sleek unicornfish's specific name, hexacanthis means "six spines" and is an allusion to the six dorsal fin spines.
The sleek unicornfish does not have a protuberance extending from itsforehead, unlike some of its congeners. Its colors range from a dark brown to yellow, on occasion changing to blue or silver. Adults measure 75 centimeters in length. The teeth are angled backwards; the tongue is black.
The sleek unicornfish is distributed in the Indo-Pacific, from the Hawaiian islands to Africa and India. It inhabits lagoons and seaward reef slopes. As the sleek unicornfish has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution the IUCN has classified its conservation status as Least Concern.
The species consumes plankton and small crustaceans, as well as filamentous algae. It is the subject of moderate fisheries.
