Midnight parrotfish

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Midnight parrotfish
Midnight-parrotfish.png
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Scaridae
Genus: Scarus
Species:
S. coelestinus
Binomial name
Scarus coelestinus
Synonyms [2]
  • Scarus rostratus Poey, 1860
  • Pseudoscarus simplexPoey, 1865
  • Pseudoscarus plumbeus Bean, 1912
A Midnight Parrotfish M parrot fish.jpg
A Midnight Parrotfish

The midnight parrotfish (Scarus coelestinus) is a species of parrotfish that inhabits coral reefs mainly in the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Florida.

Contents

The typical size is between 30 and 60 cm, but it can grow to almost 1 m. It has been observed as far north as Maryland and as far south as Brazil. [3] Usually found between 3 and 80 m deep, it swims over reefs and sandy areas, where it feeds on algae by scraping it with its teeth fused into a beak.

Description

The midnight parrotfish has a deep blue body with light blue patches along its sides and head. The exact location of light blue patches differs between each fish, but all midnight parrotfish have a light blue patch on the underside of the beak. [4] Unlike other parrotfish species, the midnight parrotfish retains its coloring through its juvenile and adult stages of life. Both male and female midnight parrotfish exhibit this coloring. [5] The parrotfish gains its name from its hard beak it uses to scrape its food from hard substrates. [6]

Feeding

The midnight parrotfish, along with other parrotfishes, is primarily a herbivore. Their main source of food is algae, which they scrape from coral and other hard substrates using their beak. Through this process, the parrotfish also consumes carbonate sediments and assists in moving sediment around the reef. The midnight parrotfish can take up to 16,000 bites a day as an adult, and 28,000 a day as a juvenile. [6] In addition to herbivory, evidence suggests that midnight parrotfish also consume sergeant major damselfish eggs. [7] Unlike other species of parrotfish that live in mangrove forests, the midnight parrotfish has not been shown to consume sponges. [6]

Habitat

The midnight parrotfish inhabits coral reefs mainly in the Caribbean, southern Florida, and the southern Gulf of Mexico, but has been found as far north as Maryland and as far south as Brazil. [8] Midnight parrotfish were found to be the only species of 32 Caribbean reef fishes to not have a significant zonation among patch or crest reefs. While less abundant than other parrotfish species such as the queen parrotfish (Scarus vetula), striped parrotfish (Scarus iseri), stoplight parrotfish (Sparisoma viride), and redband parrotfish (Sparisoma aurofrenatum), the midnight parrotfish is an important part of the trophic web. Like other parrotfish, the midnight parrotfish controls algal populations through feeding, and encourages coral growth through its grazing. [5] Midnight parrotfish have been found at depths between 5 and 75 meters. [9]

Schooling

Midnight parrotfish

Midnight parrotfish typically do not exhibit schooling behavior, as they are able to feed on algae without the assist of other organisms. Midnight parrotfish have been seen to school with up to 30 other individuals in order to secure food from damselfish nests. Typically heavily guarded by the damselfish, schools of midnight parrotfish can overwhelm a nest and secure both the algae within it and the eggs of sergeant major damselfish. Bite scars within the sergeant major damselfish nests indicate this behavior is common. As with other large species of parrotfish, the midnight parrotfish typically occurs in lower concentrations throughout most of its habitats. Higher concentrations of parrotfish are more common in areas with low fishing. [7]

Blue tang

Midnight parrotfish are also known to exhibit co-schooling behavior with blue tang. The arrangement allows both species to feed on algae, and provides the parrotfish with protection. The coloring of blue tang schools camouflages the parrotfish, as its dark blue pigment matches that of the blue tang while its light blue pigment matches the rays of sunlight between blue tang. Blue tang have ventral spikes, which has the added benefit to the parrotfish of wielding away predators. The schools are typically composed of 50 to 400 blue tang with up to 17 midnight parrotfish, although a majority of schools include 1 or 2 parrotfish. Both blue tang and parrotfish compete with damselfish for algae, and the co-schooling behavior allows both species to gain access to damselfish-protected algal clumps. [4]

Conservation and protection

Midnight parrotfish are cited as 'Least Concern' on the IUCN Red List. This is due to the high concentrations of midnight parrotfish in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Midnight parrotfish are protected species in United States waters, as well as a number of marine protected areas in the Caribbean. However, Cuban spear-fishers often target the midnight parrotfish along with other parrotfish species, which has led to a slight decline in population. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parrotfish</span> Family of fishes

Parrotfishes are a group of fish species traditionally regarded as a family (Scaridae), but now often treated as a subfamily (Scarinae) or tribe (Scarini) of the wrasses (Labridae). With roughly 95 species, this group's largest species richness is in the Indo-Pacific. They are found in coral reefs, rocky coasts, and seagrass beds, and can play a significant role in bioerosion.

<i>Sparisoma</i> Genus of fishes

Sparisoma is a genus of parrotfishes native to warmer parts of the Atlantic. FishBase recognizes 15 species in this genus, including S. rocha described from Trindade Island in 2010 and S. choati described from the East Atlantic in 2012. They are the most important grazers of algae in the Caribbean Sea, especially since sea urchins, especially Diadema, the other prominent consumers of algae, have been reduced in many places by a recent epidemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marbled parrotfish</span> Species of fish

The marbled parrotfish, also known as the seagrass parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae and is the only known member of the genus Leptoscarus. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution and is also found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. It is a coastal species found in beds of sea grass and seaweed.

<i>Acanthurus coeruleus</i> Species of fish

Acanthurus coeruleus is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs, found in the Atlantic Ocean. It can grow up to 39 centimetres (15 in) long. Common names include Atlantic blue tang, blue barber, blue doctor, blue doctorfish, blue tang, blue tang surgeonfish, yellow barber, and yellow doctorfish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rainbow parrotfish</span> Species of fish

The rainbow parrotfish is a species of fish in the family Scaridae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess parrotfish</span> Species of fish

The princess parrotfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is typically 20 to 25 centimetres long, found in the Caribbean, South Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Its behavior, similar to other parrotfishes, is to swim about the reef and sandy patches during the day, at depths between 3 and 25 metres, scraping algae on which it feeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stoplight parrotfish</span> Species of fish

The stoplight parrotfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae, inhabiting coral reefs in Florida, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda and as far south as Brazil. It mainly feeds on algae by scraping and excavating it with its teeth. Like most of its relatives, it is able to change sex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coral reef fish</span> Fish which live amongst or in close relation to coral reefs

Coral reef fish are fish which live amongst or in close relation to coral reefs. Coral reefs form complex ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity. Among the myriad inhabitants, the fish stand out as colourful and interesting to watch. Hundreds of species can exist in a small area of a healthy reef, many of them hidden or well camouflaged. Reef fish have developed many ingenious specialisations adapted to survival on the reefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen parrotfish</span> Colorful species of fish in Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean 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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue parrotfish</span> Species of fish

The blue parrotfish is a member of the parrotfish genus Scarus. It is found on coral reefs in shallow water in the tropical and subtropical parts of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. They usually forage in a group of 500 individuals for spawning and deterring predators while feeding.

<i>Scarus frenatus</i> Species of fish

Scarus frenatus is a species of parrotfish. Common names include bridled parrotfish, sixband or six-banded parrotfish or vermiculate parrotfish.

<i>Sparisoma chrysopterum</i> Species of fish

Sparisoma chrysopterum is a species of parrotfish.

<i>Sparisoma aurofrenatum</i> Species of fish

Sparisoma aurofrenatum is a species of parrotfish native to the Caribbean Sea and Western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Scarus niger</i> Species of fish

Scarus niger, common names the swarthy parrotfish, dusky parrotfish, and black parrotfish, is a species of parrotfish. It is in the phylum Chordata, class Actinopterygii, and family Scaridae. Like other members of its family, it has characteristic 10 dorsal soft rays, 9 dorsal spines, 9 anal soft rays, and 3 anal spines, It is found in Indo-West and Central Pacific, from the Red Sea, north to Japan, south to Australia and east to French Polynesia. It is found in lagoons, channels and outer reefs slopes on the depths of 2 to 20 metres. The dusky parrotfish often lives in solitude, but males may also live in a small group of mating females. The dusky parrotfish is primarily herbivorous, and its main source of food is benthic algae. At maturity, the fish is approximately 230-240mm long and weighs around 240g.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ember parrotfish</span> Species of fish

The ember parrotfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is also known as the bicolor parrotfish and the redlip parrotfish.

<i>Chlorurus microrhinos</i> Species of fish

Chlorurus microrhinos, the blunt-head parrotfish or steephead parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corallivore</span> Animal that feeds on coral

A corallivore is an animal that feeds on coral. Corallivores are an important group of reef organism because they can influence coral abundance, distribution, and community structure. Corallivores feed on coral using a variety of unique adaptations and strategies. Animals known to be corallivores include certain mollusks, annelids, fish, crustaceans, flatworms and echinoderms. The first recorded evidence of corallivory was presented by Charles Darwin in 1842 during his voyage on HMS Beagle in which he found coral in the stomach of two Scarus parrotfish.

<i>Scarus fuscopurpureus</i> Species of fish

Scarus fuscopurpureus, common name purple-brown parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the class Actinopterygii. It is a parrotfish in the family Scaridae. It occurs in the western Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the gulf of Aden and the Persain Gulf. Countries in which boarder these waters include, but are not limited to Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

<i>Chlorurus gibbus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Scarus zelindae</i> Species of fish

Scarus zelindae is a species of fish of the Scaridae family in the order Perciformes. This species of Parrotfish can be brown, blue, green, yellow, and purple and can change their colors several times throughout their lifetime. They live for about 5–7 years and can be found in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, primarily in Brazilian waters.

References

  1. ↑ Rocha, L.A.; Choat, J.H.; Clements, K.D.; Russell, B.; Myers, R.; Lazuardi, M.E.; Muljadi, A.; Pardede, S.; Rahardjo, P. (2012). "Scarus coelestinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012: e.T190720A17793912. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T190720A17793912.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Scarus coelistinus" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. ↑ Humann, Paul; DeLoach, Ned (2002). Reef Fish Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas. Jacksonville, Florida: New World Publications, Inc. ISBN   1-878348-30-2.
  4. 1 2 Alevizon, W. S. (1976). "Mixed Schooling and Its Possible Significance in a Tropical Western Atlantic Parrotfish and Surgeonfish". Copeia. 1976 (4): 796–798. doi:10.2307/1443464. ISSN   0045-8511. JSTOR   1443464.
  5. 1 2 Alevizon, William; Richardson, Rebecca; Pitts, Patrick; Serviss, Gary (2012). "Coral Zonation and Patterns of Community Structure in Bahamian Reef Fishes". Bulletin of Marine Science. 36: 304–318 – via Semantic Scholar.
  6. 1 2 3 Dunlap, Matthew; Pawlik, Joseph R. (13 May 2008). "Spongivory by Parrotfish in Florida Mangrove and Reef Habitats". Marine Ecology. 19 (4): 325–337. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0485.1998.tb00471.x. ISSN   0173-9565.
  7. 1 2 Adam, Thomas C.; Kelley, Megan; Ruttenberg, Benjamin I.; Burkepile, Deron E. (1 March 2017). "Groups of roving midnight parrotfish (Scarus coelestinus) prey on sergeant major damselfish (Abudefduf saxatilis) nests". Marine Biodiversity. 47 (1): 11–12. doi:10.1007/s12526-016-0475-4. ISSN   1867-1624. S2CID   255582963.
  8. ↑ Humann, Paul. (2002). Reef fish identification : Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas. DeLoach, Ned., Star Standard Industries) (3rd ed., enl ed.). Jacksonville, Fla.: New World Publications. ISBN   1-878348-30-2. OCLC   48687304.
  9. 1 2 Rocha, Luiz; McEachran, John (9 January 2014). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Midnight Parrotfish". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
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