Spotted Unicornfish

Naso brevirostris

The spotted unicornfish (Naso brevirostris) is a large surgeonfish found throughout the Indo-Pacific. Adults reach 40-60 cm and display a grey to olive body covered in dark spots, with a characteristic short, rounded horn projecting forward from the forehead in adults. They have two fixed, blade-like caudal peduncle spines on each side of the tail base. They inhabit outer reef slopes, channels, and drop-offs at depths of 5-50 meters, forming large schools that cruise along reef walls. They feed on zooplankton and leafy brown algae. The horn develops gradually with age and is more prominent in males. Their large size, schooling behavior, and unique unicorn-like horn make them eye-catching additions to reef wall scenes. They are commonly encountered on dives in the Red Sea, Maldives, and throughout Southeast Asia, where schools glide effortlessly along current-swept reef edges.