Scarus

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Scarus
Temporal range: Early Oligocene to Present [1]
Papegaaivis.JPG
Scarus ferrugineus , terminal phase
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Scaridae
Genus: Scarus
Forsskål, 1775
Type species
Scarus psittacus
Forsskål (not of Linnaeus), 1775
Species

about 52, see text

Synonyms [2]
  • Callyodon Scopoli, 1777
  • CalliodonBloch & Schneider, 1801
  • Erychthys Swainson, 1839
  • HemistomaSwainson, 1839
  • PetronasonSwainson, 1839
  • ScarusBleeker, 1847
  • PseudoscarusBleeker, 1861
  • LoroJordan & Evermann, 1896
  • Margaritodon J.L.B. Smith, 1956
  • ScaropsSchultz, 1958
  • XenoscaropsSchultz, 1958

Scarus is a genus of parrotfishes. With 52 currently recognised extant species, [3] 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 (males and females) and terminal (males only) phases. Adults of most species reach maximum lengths of between 30 and 50 cm (12–20 in), but the rainbow parrotfish (Scarus guacamaia) can grow to lengths of 1.2 m (3.9 ft). [3]

Contents

Species

There are currently 52 recognised species in this genus: [3]

In political thought

In Cesare Ripa's Renaissance iconography, the scarus fish symbolised civil "Union," i.e. the joining of individuals into a collective body. Plutarch had written that scarus fish "swim together in shoals and ingeniously and heroically free each other when caught in a net." The scarus thus "denoted reciprocal assistance in the fight for survival." [4]

Related Research Articles

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

Parrotfish 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>Epinephelus</i> Genus of fishes

Epinephelus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, groupers from the subfamily Epinephelinae, part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. They are predatory fish, largely associated with reefs and are found in tropical and subtropical seas throughout the world. They are important target species for fisheries.

<i>Acanthurus</i> Genus of fishes

Acanthurus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, which includes the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs, found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. They are found in tropical oceans, especially near coral reefs, with most species in the Indo-Pacific but a few are found in the Atlantic Ocean. As other members of the family, they have a pair of spines, one on either side of the base of the tail which are dangerously sharp.

<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.

<i>Thalassoma</i> Genus of fishes

Thalassoma is a genus of wrasses native to the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Many species occasionally make their way into the aquarium trade.

<i>Halichoeres</i> Genus of fishes

Halichoeres are a genus of wrasses found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

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

The rusty parrotfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish belonging to the family Scaridae. It is associated with reefs in the north western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

<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>Chlorurus</i> Genus of fishes

Chlorurus is a genus of parrotfish from the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

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

Sparisoma chrysopterum is a species of 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>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 altipinnis</i> Species of fish

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.

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

Scarus scaber, the five-saddle parrotfish or dusky-capped parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is native to Indian Ocean.

<i>Rhabdosargus</i> Genus of fishes

Rhabdosargus is a genus of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. These fishes are found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and throughout the Indo-West Pacific, although mainly in the western Indian Ocean.

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

Scarus globiceps, commonly known as the globehead, violet-lined, speckled or roundhead parrotfish, is a marine fish native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, where it lives in coral reefs.

<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.

References

  1. Sepkoski, J. (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
  2. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Scaridae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Froese, R. and D. Pauly, Eds. Scarus. FishBase. 2013.
  4. Hont, I. Jealousy of Trade: International Competition and the Nation-State in Historical Perspective. Harvard UP: 2005, pp. 21-22.