Lined Bristletooth

Ctenochaetus striatus has its dorsal fin supported by 8 spines and between 27 and 31 soft rays while its anal fin is supported by 3 spines and 24 to 28 soft rays. The overall colour is greenish-brown with slender, sinuous blue lines along the flanks and many orange spots on the head. The blue lines continue on the dorsal and anal fins. This species has a maximum published total length of 26 cm (10 in).

Ctenochaetus striatus has a wide range across the Indian and Pacific Oceans from the coast of eastern Africa from the Red Sea south to Aliwal Shoal off South Africa. They are then found across the Indian Ocean, although not on the mainland coast of South Asia between the Gulf of Oman and the Bay of Bengal, and into the Pacific Ocean east to Pitcairn Island and French Polynesia, north to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan and south to Rapa Iti and the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs in the Coral Sea. The striated surgeon fish is found in reef flats and lagoon and seaward reefs over coral, rock pavement and rubble at depths between 0 and 60 m (0 and 197 ft).

Ctenochaetus striatus has the specific name striatus, meaning "furrowed" or "grooved", or in other words "striped". This alludes to the many longitudinal stripes created by the edges of the scale rows and which extend onto the dorsal and anal fin beses.