Moorish idol

Scientific name : Zanclidae

The family Zanclidae includes a single species, Zanclus cornutus or moorish idol. Often confused with a butterfly fish, due to the resemblance with Heniochus acuminatus, it is actually more closely related with the surgeon fishes, with which is included in the suborder Acanthuroidea.
Main features are: deep, rounded and laterally compressed body, elongated tube like mouth, long dorsal and anal fins, especially the dorsal with a very long filament.
The only one species is encountered in many environments, from bay and lagoon to the back reef, reef front, external reef, deep reef (to 182 m depth). Usually in small groups, occasionally it can be seen in schools. It feeds on sponges, also on algae and other invertebrates.
It has a very long larval life, during which it travels over long distances.

Zanclus cornutus is often confused with the Chaetodontidae Heniochus acuminatus and Heniochus diphreutes. Differently from both, Z. cornutus has more elongated snout, fading yellow colour in the clear band, black tail. As stated above, Zanclidae are related with Acanthuridae (surgeon fishes) and Siganidae (rabbit fishes). The missing scalpel on the tail peduncle distinguish them from the former, family, the dorsal filament from both.