Distribution:
Found in tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans with a few species in temperate areas.
Habitat:
Nearshore, above rocky and coral reefs. Occasionally schooling far offshore.
Remarks:
The Kyphosidae (from the Greek kyphos, meaning "hump") contains the subfamilies Girellinae, Kyphosinae, Scorpidinae, Microcanthinae, and Parascorpidinae. The the first two subfamilies are primarily herbivorous, while the remaining three are carnivorous, feeding mostly on benthic invertebrates. At least several of the herbivorous species contain symbiotic bacteria in their gut that aid in the digestion of algae via fermentation.
The maximum size is 76 cm and there are 16 genera and about 45 species.
References:
Carpenter, pp. 1684-1687, in: Carpenter 2002;
Helfman et al. 1997;
Nelson 2006;
Rimmer & Wiebe 1987