Rainbow parrotfish

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Rainbow parrotfish
Rainbow parrotfish.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Scaridae
Genus: Scarus
Species:
S. guacamaia
Binomial name
Scarus guacamaia
Cuvier, 1829
Synonyms [2]

The rainbow parrotfish (Scarus guacamaia) is a species of fish in the family Scaridae.

Contents

Description

S. guacamaia is the second largest species of parrotfish after the humphead parrotfish, [3] and the largest parrotfish in the Atlantic, reaching 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in length, 20 kg in weight and a maximum age of 16 years. It has a greenish-brown overall colouration; the fins are dull orange with tongues of green. Its dental plates are blue-green. Sexes appear alike. [2]

It is most closely related to two other large-bodied parrotfish species, S. coelestinus and S. trispinosus . [4]

Scarus coelestinus 57202825.jpg
Scarus coelestinus 7803343.jpg
S. guacamaia with S. coelestinus in Florida, two extremely closely related species. [5] Unlike most Scarus species, these two are not sexually dimorphic. Due to their similar appearance and sympatric distribution, they were often thought to be colour phases of the same species until the 1960s. [6]

Distribution and habitat

The rainbow parrotfish has a relatively wide distribution in the western Atlantic, and can be found from Bermuda through South Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean to Venezuela. It inhabits coral reefs, mangroves and sea grass beds in shallow waters, at depths of 3–25 m. [1] [2]

Ecology

S. guacamaia is primarily a detritivore, feeding on detritus, bacterial colonies and meiofauna but also taking sponges. Young fish appear to recruit mostly to mangroves. [1]

Conservation

S. guacamaia was formerly classified as vulnerable due to overfishing and habitat loss, but because the presently available data do not allow an estimate of the population decline, it is now considered near threatened by the IUCN. It is relatively rare in most of its range, but more common in Bermuda. The rainbow parrotfish is widely harvested in subsistence fisheries in many parts of the Caribbean. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Choat, J.H.; Feitosa, C.; Ferreira, C.E.; Gaspar, A.L.; Padovani-Ferreira, B.; Rocha, L.A. (2012). "Scarus guacamaia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012: e.T19950A17627624. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T19950A17627624.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Scarus guacamaia". FishBase . December 2019 version.
  3. ↑ Hoey, Andrew S.; Bonaldo, Roberta M. (2018-03-05). Hoey, Andrew S.; Bonaldo, Roberta M. (eds.). Biology of Parrotfishes (1 ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, [2018]| “A Science Publishers book.” | Includeu bibliographical references and index.: CRC Press. doi:10.1201/9781315118079. ISBN   978-1-315-11807-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. ↑ Choat, John. H.; klanten, Oya. S.; Van Herwerden, Lynne; Robertson, D. Ross; Clements, Kendall D. (November 2012). "Patterns and processes in the evolutionary history of parrotfishes (Family Labridae): Evolutionary History of Parrotfishes". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 107 (3): 529–557. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01959.x.
  5. ↑ Choat, John. H.; klanten, Oya. S.; Van Herwerden, Lynne; Robertson, D. Ross; Clements, Kendall D. (November 2012). "Patterns and processes in the evolutionary history of parrotfishes (Family Labridae): Evolutionary History of Parrotfishes". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 107 (3): 529–557. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01959.x.
  6. ↑ Randall, John E. (1963). "Notes on the Systematics of Parrotfishes (Scaridae), with Emphasis on Sexual Dichromatism". Copeia. 1963 (2): 225–237. doi:10.2307/1441337. ISSN   0045-8511.
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