Teleostei (teleosts) >
Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) >
Scaridae (Parrotfishes) > Scarinae
Etymology: Scarus: Greek, skaros = a fish described by anciente writers as a parrot fish; 1601 (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Bleeker.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 25 m (Ref. 90102). Tropical; 30°N - 24°S, 107°E - 170°W
Western Pacific: Indonesia to Samoa, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the Great Barrier Reef. Replaced by Scarus scaber in the Indian Ocean (Ref. 37816).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 48636)
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9. Males recognized by the blue snout and band behind eye. Eastern form has blue cheek and western form has yellow cheek. Females grey to yellow with dusky saddle over back (Ref. 48636). Closely resembles S. oviceps and S. scaber. In S. oviceps, the initial phase has fewer, less vertical diagonal dark bars on the back and the terminal phase lacks the light-centered bar between the eye and the pectoral fin base, is darker and less brilliant blue on the upper head and back, and is usually larger.
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: compressed.
Inhabits coral-rich areas of clear, protected reefs (Ref. 9710). Found in lagoon and seaward reefs (Ref. 90102). Feeds mainly on algae (Ref. 26993).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).
Parenti, P. and J.E. Randall, 2000. An annotated checklist of the species of the labroid fish families Labridae and Scaridae. Ichthyol. Bull. J.L.B. Smith Inst. Ichthyol. (68):1-97. (Ref. 35918)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.2 - 29.3, mean 28.5 °C (based on 1649 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01380 (0.00789 - 0.02416), b=3.13 (2.98 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.0 ±0.00 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (30 of 100).
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Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 45.6 [23.8, 73.3] mg/100g; Iron = 0.696 [0.433, 1.175] mg/100g; Protein = 18.3 [16.3, 20.2] %; Omega3 = 0.06 [0.04, 0.10] g/100g; Selenium = 19.9 [9.9, 35.8] μg/100g; VitaminA = 44.9 [12.2, 162.7] μg/100g; Zinc = 2.69 [1.84, 3.65] mg/100g (wet weight);
