WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Bridled Parrotfish

Scarus frenatus

Also known as: Fall Parrotfish, Sixband Parrotfish, Six-banded Parrotfish, Vermiculate Parrotfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2012
Adult
@Joop · Cairns, Australia · October 20181 / 50

Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.

01

Overview

Found singly, or in mixed schools, foraging for food, over shallow waters, of exposed outer reefs, rich in algae growth.

Parrotfish are hermaphrodites and live in harems with a dominant male. They are not territorial, living and feeding in harmony with other species.
Their teeth are fused into powerful beaks which are used for grabbing filamentous algae from dead coral, often found feeding in a cloud of sediment.
At night parrotfish make a sleeping bag out of slime bubbles for protection against predators.
These beautiful fish whose males usually outshine the females for colour also change dramatically from juvenile to adult.

02

How to identify

Pattern
spots

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Exact location · 15
  • Country only · 35
LIVES IN

Found singly, or in mixed schools, foraging for food, over shallow waters, of exposed outer reefs, rich in algae growth.

04

Adult photos 50

05

Discussion 1

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1 comment

  • klaus81· 5 May 2011

    Perfect description of the juvenile one in "Bellwood, David R., & Choat, J.H., 1989. A description of the juvenile phase colour patterns of 24 parrotfish species (family Scaridae) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Records of the Australian Museum 41(1): 1–41. [30 June 1989", page 21

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Taxonomy

  1. familyScaridae
  2. genusScarus
  3. speciesScarus frenatus Lacepède, 1802

SourcesWoRMSFishBase

06

More in the family

Parrotfishes (Scaridae)