Zviera
Regal blue tang
Paracanthurus hepatus. A blue reef fish and the real-life model for Dory.
Jazyk obsahu
A blue body, a black pattern along the sides and a yellow tail give the regal blue tang its distinctive colours. This species inspired the film character Dory. The real fish lives on Indo-Pacific coral reefs, particularly their outer sections where water movement is strong. It does not naturally occur in the Red Sea.
Regal blue tangs usually reach about 20 centimetres, although they can grow larger. They eat zooplankton and algae, while young fish feed on plankton. The fish gather near branching corals, where they can find shelter. An active fish therefore needs both swimming space and cover.
At the base of the tail are sharp defensive spines, which explain the group's name, surgeonfish. They are not feeding tools. The body's intense blue is associated with light reflected by specialised skin cells called iridophores. Its colour therefore also results from the structure of the surface that light encounters.
Pre deti
Dory has a real fish as her model: the regal blue tang. Its body is blue, with a black pattern and a yellow tail. It lives on Indo-Pacific coral reefs, in warm parts of the Indian and Pacific oceans, but not in the Red Sea. It is usually about 20 centimetres long.
The tang eats tiny drifting animals called zooplankton, as well as algae. Young fish feed on plankton. Branching corals provide places where they can hide from danger.
Near its tail, the tang has sharp spines for defence. Its blue colour also has an interesting explanation. Special cells in its skin reflect light. Called iridophores, they help create the intense blue. The film character is fictional, but the colours, spines and feeding habits belong to a real animal.
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What are the spines near a blue tang’s tail used for?
- Poloha
- Coral Reef, first floor, tank 608 · Gdynia Aquarium