Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Scaridae (Parrotfishes) > Scarinae
Etymology: Scarus: Greek, skaros = a fish described by anciente writers as a parrot fish; 1601 (Ref. 45335). More on author: Valenciennes.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 5 - 75 m (Ref. 9710), usually ? - 20 m. Tropical, preferred ?; 33°N - 24°S, 98°W - 31°W
Western Atlantic: Bermuda, southern Florida (USA), and Bahamas to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Ref. 13628).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 77.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 13628); common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3802); max. published weight: 7.0 kg (Ref. 5217)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 9;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 10;
Anal
spines: 3;
Anal
soft rays: 11. With blue-green teeth. Adults generally black or blue-black, with centers of scales and unscaled part of head bright blue, and blue band between eyes. Only large black or blue-black parrotfish in the Caribbean (Ref. 26938).
Occurs from rocky coastal reefs to seaward reefs (Ref. 9710). Often in schools, feeding with surgeonfishes by scraping off algae from rocks or dead coral (Ref. 9710). Marketed fresh and salted (Ref. 5217).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).
Parenti, P. and J.E. Randall, 2000. An annotated checklist of the species of the labroid fish families Labridae and Scaridae. Ichthyol. Bull. J.L.B. Smith Inst. Ichthyol. (68):1-97. (Ref. 35918)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
More information
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