Queen parrotfish

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Queen parrotfish
Scarus vetula.jpg
Adult male
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Clade: Percomorpha
Order: Labriformes
Family: Scaridae
Genus: Scarus
Species:
S. vetula
Binomial name
Scarus vetula
Bloch & Schneider, 1801 [2]

The queen parrotfish (Scarus vetula) 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. [1] 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". [1]

Contents

Description

Adult queen parrotfishes are heavy-bodied fish with fusiform (spindle-shaped) bodies and beak-like mouths, growing to a length of about 60 cm (24 in). They have two different color phases. Among smaller fish, the sexes are similar but nearly all individuals are female, being reddish-brown or grayish-brown with a paler head and a white lateral stripe low on each flank, and that remains the color scheme for females even when they grow larger. [3] At an average length of 25 cm (10 in), females change sex to become males. The larger males move on to a new color phase, becoming pale bluish-green, with blue spots near the mouth, yellowish streaks between the mouth and eye, and pale blue bars on the pectoral fins. [3] [4]

Distribution and habitat

The queen parrotfish is native to the tropical West Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the southern Gulf of Mexico. It is found on both rocky and coral reefs at depths down to about 25 m (80 ft). [1]

Ecology

Queen parrotfish is a protogynous hermaphrodite [5] and are often found in small groups of four or five, consisting of one final-phase male and several first-phase individuals, probably females. During courtship, the male constantly circles a female. When she accepts his advances she joins him and they circle together, both simultaneously releasing spawn into the sea. After fertilisation, the eggs hatch and the developing larvae form part of the plankton. [4]

The queen parrotfish feeds primarily on the algal turf it can scrape off surfaces, and coral from coral reefs, [6] [7] but may also eat sponges and other encrusting organisms as it feeds. In the process, it swallows a lot of mineral particles which are deposited on the seabed as fine sand. It is a diurnal fish, and rests on the seabed or hides in a crevice at night, immersed in a layer of mucus that it exudes and which may help to disguise it from predators. It is preyed on by sharks, groupers and eels. [3] [4]

Parrotfishes are known for the bioerosion that they cause. The stoplight parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) is an "excavator" and degrades the surface of coral colonies, but Scarus vetula is a "scraper", causing erosion of carbonate materials from corals but to a lesser extent than S. viride. [8] Both species have robust jaws with crenelated margins and strong jaw muscles, and large individuals of S. vetula can do considerable damage to corals as they scrape off their food. [8]

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>Scarus</i> Genus of fishes

Scarus is a genus of parrotfishes. With 52 currently recognised extant species, it is by far the largest genus in this family. The vast majority are found at reefs in the Indo-Pacific, but a small number of species are found in the warmer parts of the eastern Pacific and the western Atlantic, with a single species, Scarus hoefleri in the eastern Atlantic. Most are very colourful, and have strikingly different initial and terminal phases. Adults of most species reach maximum lengths of between 30 and 50 cm (12–20 in), but the rainbow parrotfish can grow to lengths of 1.2 m (3.9 ft).

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

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

<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">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.

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

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.

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

Chlorurus sordidus, known commonly as the daisy parrotfish or bullethead parrotfish, is a species of marine fish in the family Scaridae.

<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>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.

<i>Hipposcarus harid</i> Species of fish

Hipposcarus harid, the Longnose parrotfish or Candelamoa parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae found on coral reefs of Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

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

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.

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

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.

<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.

<i>Cetoscarus ocellatus</i> Species of fish

Cetoscarus ocellatus, common name Spotted parrotfish, is a species of parrotfish belonging to the family Scaridae.

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

Scarus fuscopurpureus, common name purple-brown parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish in the family Scaridae. It occurs in the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

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

Scarus psittacus, the common parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. Other common names for this species include the palenose parrotfish, Batavian parrotfish and the rosy-cheek parrotfish. It has a wide distribution in the Indo-Pacific region where it is associated with coral reefs. This species is utilised as food. It is the type species of the genus Scarus.

<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. 1 2 3 4 Rocha, L.A.; Choat, J.H.; Clements, K.D.; Russell, B.; Myers, R.; Lazuardi, M.E.; Muljadi, A.; Pardede, S.; Rahardjo, P. (2012). "Scarus vetula". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012: e.T190698A17791465. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T190698A17791465.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. Bailly, Nicolas (2019). "Scarus vetula Bloch & Schneider, 1801". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "Queen Parrotfish (Scarus vetula)". Beautiful Oceans. Archived from the original on 25 December 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Wilson, Cynthia (2002). "Scarus vetula: Queen Parrotfish". ADW. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  5. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Scarus vetula" in FishBase . December 2019 version.
  6. "Scarus_vetula - Queen Parrotfish" (PDF). sta.uwi.edu. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  7. Wilson, Cynthia. "ADW: Scarus vetula: INFORMATION". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  8. 1 2 Hughes, R.N.; Hughes, D.J.; Smith, I.P. (2014). Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review. CRC Press. p. 99. ISBN   978-1-4822-2059-9.