Definition

1. Noun:
   • A species of surgeonfish: "Acanthurus chirurgus" is the scientific name for a specific type of surgeonfish, commonly known as the doctorfish or the doctorfish tang, found in the West Indies and the wider Atlantic Ocean.

Usage

• The term "Acanthurus chirurgus" is used in scientific, zoological, or marine biology contexts to precisely identify this species. It is not typically used in everyday conversation.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The reef was populated by various species, including Acanthurus chirurgus.
  • Acanthurus chirurgus is noted for the sharp, scalpel-like spines on each side of its tail.

Advanced Usage

• Binomial nomenclature: "Acanthurus chirurgus" follows the Linnaean system of binomial nomenclature, where "Acanthurus" is the genus and "chirurgus" is the specific epithet.
  • In taxonomic classification, Acanthurus chirurgus belongs to the family Acanthuridae.

Variants and Related Words

• Doctorfish: A common name for Acanthurus chirurgus.
• Surgeonfish: The common name for the family (Acanthuridae) to which this species belongs, referring to the sharp caudal spines.
• Acanthurus: The genus name, which includes other tangs and surgeonfish.

Synonyms

• Doctorfish
• Doctorfish tang

Notes

• This is a specialized scientific term. In non-scientific contexts, the common names "doctorfish" or "doctorfish tang" are more frequently used.

Noun

1. surgeon fish of the West Indies