Yellowtail Surgeonfish (Prionurus punctatus), Hualtuco, Mexico

These lovely spotted fish are easily identified by their bright yellow tails and the dark vertical stripes across their eyes and gills. The three sharp protruding spines on either side of their tails are easily seen and serve as their main defense against predators. They are very common from the Gulf of California to El Salvador. We photographed these Yellowtail Surgeonfish during a dive in Huatulco, Mexico. Read more in our post Scuba Diving Huatulco, Mexico.