The mouth of the parrotfish (also known as parrotfish or parrotfish) is fused with the body and is shaped like a parrot's beak. Parrotfish mainly feed on coral, and will not be able to digest the coral or rock excretion and the formation of sand, so the parrotfish in the coral reef ecosystem, played a very important "coral into sand" role. Another characteristic of the parrotfish is that it secretes a kind of mucus before sleeping, which surrounds it to hide its smell and avoid the approach of nocturnal predators. No. 7849 Latin Order: PERCIFORMES Chinese Order: Perchiformes Chinese Family: Parrotfish Latin Family: Scaridae Chinese Genus: Parrotfish Latin Genus: Scarus Latin Species: psittacus Definitive Name: Forskal Era: 1775 Chinese Name: Parrot Parrotfish Original Literature: Descript. Anim.:29 Type locality: Red Sea Common name: Parrotfish Domestic distribution: Taiwan Foreign distribution: Indo-Pacific Source: Taiwan Ichthyologica Sinica:476.
Parrotfish
Parrotfish with a prolonged and slightly laterally compressed body. The head is slightly protruding and smoothly rounded in outline. The posterior nostrils are not significantly larger than the anterior nostrils. Outer surface of dentary plate smooth, upper dentary plate covered by upper lip; dentary plate with 1-2 canine teeth; each upper pharyngeal bone with 1 row of molariform pharyngeal cephalic teeth. Dorsal fin with anterior midline scales ca. 3-5(4); buccal scales in 3 rows, lower row 1-2 scales. Pectoral fins with 13-14 soft bars. Caudal fin rounded to truncate in IP (Initial phase), y truncate in TP (Terminal phase); body color dark brown in IP phase, reddish brown ventrally; sides usually with 4-5 inconspicuous pale transverse spots about 1-2 scales wide (central scales in transverse spots white); body color green in TP phase; outer edge of scales purple-pink; anterior end of muzzle purple-pink; anterior end of muzzle 1-2 scales; anterior end of muzzle 1-2 scales. TP stage body color green; outer edge of scales purple-pink; anterior end of muzzle yellow-green to green; chin blue-green with orange-red mottling; cheeks with wide yellow areas; fins blue-green with blue outer edge and purple-pink central mottling.
Basic description
Latin name:
Name and date: (Kner, 1868)
Morphological features
Body is long and slightly laterally compressed. The head is slightly protruding and smooth and rounded in outline. Posterior nostrils not distinctly larger than anterior nostrils. Outer surface of dentary plate smooth, upper dentary plate almost covered by upper lip; dentary plate with 1-2 canines; each upper pharyngeal bone with 1 row of molariform pharyngeal cephalic teeth. Dorsal fin with anterior midline scales ca. 3-5(4); buccal scales in 3 rows, lower row 1-2 scales. Pectoral fins with 13-14 soft bars. Caudal fin rounded to truncate in IP (Initial phase), y truncate in TP (Terminal phase); body color dark brown in IP phase, reddish brown ventrally; sides usually with 4-5 inconspicuous pale transverse spots about 1-2 scales wide (central scales in transverse spots white); body color green in TP phase; outer edge of scales purple-pink; anterior end of muzzle purple-pink; anterior end of muzzle 1-2 scales; anterior end of muzzle 1-2 scales. Body color in TP stage is green; outer edge of scales purple-pink; anterior end of muzzle yellow-green to green; chin blue-green with orange-red mottling; cheeks with wide yellow area; fins blue-green with blue outer edge and purple-pink mottling in center.
Habitat
Predominantly inhabits coral reefs in the outer parts of lagoons and coastal reefs. Usually solitary, but females often form small groups near a single male, and they may mix in groups with females of similar species.
Geographic Distribution
Distributed in the Indo-Pacific zone, including Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean, and from the Philippines to American Samoa, north to the Ryukyu Islands, and south to the southern Great Barrier Reef. In Taiwan, it is mainly found in the northeastern part of the country and in the waters of Penghu.