| Cetoscarus ocellatus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Labriformes |
| Family: | Scaridae |
| Genus: | Cetoscarus |
| Species: | C. ocellatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Cetoscarus ocellatus (Valenciennes, 1840) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
Scarus ocellatusValenciennes, 1840 | |
Cetoscarus ocellatus, common name Spotted parrotfish, is a species of parrotfish belonging to the family Scaridae.
This species was formerly considered to be the same species as Cetoscarus bicolor , which is otherwise restricted to the Red Sea; however, there are major morphological and molecular differences between the two species, so the IUCN Red List has recognized them as separate species since 2010. This species is sometimes known as the bicolour parrotfish, but this name also is applied to C. bicolor. C. ocellatus currently encompasses the Pacific and Indian Ocean populations and these are presently considered to be conspecific. However, molecular studies indicate that the Indian Ocean population is probably specifically distinct from the Pacific population, if this is the case then the Indian Ocean species would be Cetoscarus nigropinnis. [1]
The species name ocellatus refers to the dark ocellus on the dorsal fin of juveniles. [3]
Cetoscarus ocellatus is widespread in the coastal waters of Indian and Pacific Oceans. [2] These fishes are found along the southern east coast of Africa, from Somalia to South Africa, in Australia and in Southeast Asia (The Coral Triangle region) and north to southern Japan. [2] [4]
These fishes ares associated with coral reefs, and can be found at depths between 1 and 40 m (3.3 and 131.2 ft). [3] [2] They vary in habitat. Some prefer coral reefs, while some prefer seagrass beds, algal beds, mangroves and rocky reefs. [4]
Cetoscarus ocellatus can reach at maturity a body length of about 30–80 cm (12–31 in). [2] This species has a long snout and shows 14-15 pectoral rays;, 5-7 median predorsal scales and 3 rows of scales on cheek. The color of the Cetoscarus ocellatus varies between genders as well as between adults and juveniles.
Juveniles are usually white with a thick orange band that surrounds the head, except snout and chin. They have a black circular spot on their dorsal fin and a thick orange band on their rounded tail. [2] [3]
Females of the initial phase have a dark purple to reddish brown head, finely spotted with black ventrally. Body shows dorsally a broad, pale yellowish zone while below it is bluish gray. Scales are rimmed and spotted with black. Median fins are brownish red and caudal with a whitish crescent posteriorly. [2]
The brightly-coloured terminal males are green, scales are rimmed with pink, head and anterior body show numerous small pink spots. An orange line is running from mouth to anal fin. [2]
Cetoscarus ocellatus is a hermaphroditic member of the Parrotfish family. It is found largely within the Coral Triangle region, although it has been found to inhabit sea grass and algal beds as well as mangroves. As these Parrot Fishes are hermaphrodites, they start out as females (the 'initial phase') and eventually can become males. They travel in large schools that are led by one dominant male followed by females. If for some reason this male were to leave or get separated, one of the dominant females of the group will take charge and change its gender and color. [3] Parrotfish are important to the dynamic of coral reefs and are being threatened by overfishing, and destruction of habitat due to climate change.
In the Coral Triangle Region fish are being threatened by overfishing, destruction of habitat and destructive fishing practices. Due to climate change, their habitats are being destroyed. This is detrimental due to the fact that parrot fish are important to the dynamic of coral reefs. [4]
The family of parrot fishes is extremely big with about 80 different species. Due to the impact that humans are having on their habitat a study was conducted on genetic diversity to see which type of parrot fish had the highest genetic diversity (the one with the highest genetic variation is the one that will most likely survive drastic changes in the environment). In this article we were able to find out that Cetoscarus ocellatus had one of the lowest values of genetic diversity. This means that with climate change happening and the destruction of their habitat the bicolour parrotfish is less likely to adapt and more likely to die. [5]
As this fishes are kept in aquariums, they are also more likely to get infected with parasites due to the water in the tanks. A study conducted in Vietnam to test certain fish for the parasite Cryptocaryon irritans. They tested 14 fish and 8 caught the parasite, meaning 57.14% of them are likely to catch this parasite. They were able to see that spring had the highest prevalence followed by winter and the summer (with only 20%). This information is important for aquariums to keep in mind, so they are able to treat their waters a certain manner before the parasite can get to the fish. [6]
Corallivory refers to animals that eat coral polyps. All parrot fishes feed on coral, but the corallivory within the parrot fishes may depend on the local environment and the species of coral present. An experiment by Bellwood and Choat in 1990 showed that Cetoscarus ocellatus take 10% fewer bites of live coral in the Great Barrier reef compared to other parrot fishes. [7]
Cetoscarus bicolor, also known as the bicolour parrotfish or bumphead parrotfish, is a species of fish belonging to the family Scaridae. It is found only in the Red Sea.
The queen parrotfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is found on reefs in the tropical West Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Other common names include blownose, blue chub, blue parrotfish, blueman, joblin crow parrot, moontail, okra peji and slimy head. The young males and adult female queen parrotfish are a reddish-brown color, and quite different in appearance from the bluish-green color of the final phase male. This is a common species throughout its range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as "least concern".
The knobsnout parrotfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae which is famous for its characteristic blue color. It lives in reefs and coral reefs. It grows to a maximum length of about 90 cm. Its body is a strong blue color, and may have reddish-brown, white, or black spots on it. Adult fish have whitish spots on their cheeks and a lump on their foreheads. Young fish have no spots on their cheeks or lumps on their foreheads. It is found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean off Japan and Taiwan.
Chlorurus sordidus, known commonly as the daisy parrotfish or bullethead parrotfish, is a species of marine fish in the family Scaridae.
Scarus frenatus is a species of parrotfish. Common names include bridled parrotfish, sixband or six-banded parrotfish or vermiculate parrotfish.
Sparisoma aurofrenatum is a species of parrotfish native to the Caribbean Sea and Western Atlantic Ocean.
Scarus ghobban, also known as the blue-barred parrotfish, blue trim parrotfish, cream parrotfish, globe-headed parrotfish, green blotched parrotfish, yellow scale parrotfish, and bluechin parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Scaridae.
Scarus flavipectoralis, the yellow-fin parrotfish, also known as the king parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish in the family Scaridae. It is found in the western Central Pacific from the Philippines east to the Solomon Islands, north to the Marshall Islands and south to Scott Reef and the Great Barrier Reef, it has also been recorded from Tonga.
Scarus altipinnis, the filament-finned parrotfish, high-fin parrotfish or mini-fin parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae. It occurs in the tropical and subtropical Western Pacific Ocean.
Scarus dimidiatus, also known as the yellowbarred parrotfish, is a marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean from Indonesia east to Samoa as far north as the Ryukyu Islands and as far south as the Great Barrier Reef.
Scarus tricolor, also known as the tri-colour parrotfish or three-coloured parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.
Scarus zufar, also known as Dhofar parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is found along the central to southern coastal waters of Oman. S. zufar was first identified in 1995.
Calotomus carolinus, commonly known as Carolines parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is also known as the starry-eye parrotfish, stareye parrotfish, bucktooth parrotfish, Christmas parrotfish or marbled parrotfish. Since the Calotomus carolinus is known across the Pacific, it also has its own name in many native languages for example, it is called a panuhunuhunu in the Hawaiian language.
Scarus quoyi, commonly known as Quoy's or greenblotch parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is native to the western Pacific Ocean, where it lives in coral reefs. The species can grow to a length of up to 40 cm.
Chlorurus troschelii, commonly known as Troschel's parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae. It is native to the eastern Indian Ocean, where it lives in coral reefs.
Chlorurus strongylocephalus, commonly known as the steephead parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae which is native to the Indian Ocean, where it lives in coral reefs. Its range extends from the Gulf of Aden and Socotra down the coast of East Africa as far south as Mozambique and across the Indian Ocean to western Indonesia. It forms a species complex with Chlorurus gibbus of the Red Sea and Chlorurus microrhinos of the west-central Pacific.
Chlorurus capistratoides, commonly known as the Indian parrotfish or the pink-margined parrotfish, is a marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae. This species is native to the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, where it lives in coral reefs. This species occurs in small schools, frequently mixed in with other fish species, these schools forage over corals in clear coastal and inner reefs where there is abundant algal and coral growth. It feeds on filamentous algae.
Scarus forsteni, commonly known as the whitespot parrotfish, or Forsten's parrotfish, is a marine fish native to tropical areas in the western Pacific Ocean, where it lives in coral reefs and feeds on benthic algae.
Chlorurus spilurus, known commonly as the Pacific daisy parrotfish or Pacific bullethead parrotfish and in Hawaiian called uhu, is a species of marine fish in the family Scaridae. The Pacific daisy parrotfish is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Pacific.
Chlorurus gibbus, the heavybeak parrotfish, gibbus parrotfish or Red Sea steephead parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae. It is found in the Red Sea.
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