WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Palenose Parrotfish

Scarus psittacus

Also known as: Batavian Parrotfish, Common Parrotfish, Pale-nosed Parrot, Rosycheek Parrotfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2012
Adult
@fishx6 · The Loop, Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, WA, Australia · March 20141 / 31

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

01

Overview

Found in small schools, foraging for food, over corals, on reef flats, in lagoons and seaward 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
lines

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03

Habitat & where to find it

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

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Exact location · 6
  • Dive site · 5
  • Country only · 20
LIVES IN

Found in small schools, foraging for food, over corals, on reef flats, in lagoons and seaward reefs, rich in algae growth.

04

Adult photos 31

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. familyScaridae
    2. genusScarus
    3. speciesScarus psittacus Forsskål, 1775

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Parrotfishes (Scaridae)