Yellowtail Surgeonfish

Prionurus laticlavius has an oval compressed body with a steep dorsal profile on the head with the eye positioned high on the head. The teeth are moderately large, set closely, flattened with strongly serrated edges. The dorsal fin is supported by 7 or 8 spines and 27 or 29 soft rays while the anal fin contains 3 spines and 23 soft rays. There are 3 bony plates along each side of the caudal peduncle. The scales are small and ctenoid. The overall colour is grey contrasting with the yellow caudal fin with a dark vertical bar through the eye and another at the back of the head. The juveniles are largely yellow in colour. The razor surgeonfish has a maximum published total length of 60 cm (24 in) although 25 cm (9.8 in) is more typical.

Prionurus laticlavius is found in the eastern central Pacific Ocean along the western coasts of Central and South America between Costa Rica in the north and Colombia in the south, as well as around Cocos Island, Malpelo Island and the Galápagos Islands. It has been recorded as far north as the southern Gulf of California and the Revillagigedo Islands.

It occurs on reefs in shallow water where it lives insmall groups and feeds on algae.