7, see text Prionurus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs, although some of the species in this genus are called sawtails or doctorfish.

[3] Prionurus means "sawtail" a reference to the 3 to 7 immobile keeled bony plates on each side of the caudal peduncle.

The teeth are set closely together and are moderately large, flattened and have serrated edges.

The caudal peduncle has between 3 and 7 bony plates with sharp keels on each side.

[6] The spined keels in the caudal peduncle are immobile in this genus compared to mobile ones in other surgeonfishes.