Evidence found
15,376 records across 32 countries and territories, 1897–2026.
Acanthurus nigricans · GBIF taxon key 5209162
Where has the Whitecheek surgeonfish been recorded?
Acanthurus nigricans occurrence evidence comes from 15,376 records in 32 countries and territories, from 1897 to 2026. Most records come from American Samoa.
- 15,376 records
- 32 places
- 71 years recorded
- — class
Observation evidence passport
Source coverage
CC0 GBIF Animalia occurrence facets, including country, month and year summaries.
Refreshed 2026-09-21. Inspect the taxon on GBIF.
What this means
The species has been recorded in the listed places in the stated source universe. Peak month: May.
12 months reach at least 10% of the peak facet count.
What this does not mean
repeated describes the record pattern, not a formal range, residency, abundance or conservation assessment.
A single record remains evidence of a recording, not proof that a population lives there.
Compare this animal’s observation pattern
When it is recorded
JFMAMJJASOND
Peak month: May. Records cluster in the months an animal is present and being looked for, so a summer peak can reflect observer effort as much as the animal.
Records over time
18972026
Recording effort has risen steeply almost everywhere since the 1990s, so a rising line usually shows more observers rather than more animals.
Where Whitecheek surgeonfish has been recorded
The countries below show where occurrence evidence exists for Whitecheek surgeonfish. They do not define a complete habitat range: survey effort differs by place, and historical or one-off records can appear alongside repeated presence.
| Place | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| American Samoa | 4,821 | |
| United States Minor Outlying Islands | 4,543 | |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 1,964 | |
| Micronesia | 1,954 | |
| Marshall Islands | 900 | |
| Guam | 369 | |
| United States | 188 | |
| French Polynesia | 118 | |
| Palau | 73 | |
| Panama | 61 | |
| Australia | 60 | |
| Kiribati | 53 | |
| Mexico | 52 | |
| Cocos Islands | 44 | |
| Tokelau | 35 | |
| Indonesia | 32 | |
| Costa Rica | 30 | |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | 15 | |
| Philippines | 15 | |
| Fiji | 10 | |
| Solomon Islands | 10 | |
| Wallis & Futuna | 7 | |
| Ecuador | 4 | |
| Colombia | 3 | |
| France | 3 | |
| Tonga | 3 | |
| ZZ | 3 | |
| Christmas Island | 2 | |
| China | 1 | |
| Japan | 1 | |
| New Caledonia | 1 | |
| Papua New Guinea | 1 |
Related animals
Others in the family Acanthuridae.
Ocean surgeon
73,085 records
Blue tang surgeonfish
72,602 records
Striated surgeonfish
24,529 records
Brown Surgeonfish
20,768 records
Orangespine unicornfish
11,768 records
Convict surgeonfish
8,606 records
Orangeband Surgeonfish
7,615 records
Bluelip Bristletooth
7,074 records
Record pattern: repeated
Repeated records across many years and months. This is inferred from how many years and months the animal appears in, not from a range map — treat it as evidence, not a formal assessment.
Repeated records across many years and months. This is inferred from how many years and months the animal appears in, not from a range map — treat it as evidence, not a formal assessment.