WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Queen Parrotfish

Scarus vetula

Also known as: Blownose, Blue Chub, Blue Parrot, Blue Parrotfish, Blueman, Joblin Crow, Moontail, Parrot, Slimy Head

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2012
Adult
@sleitch · Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands · March 20141 / 29

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

01

Overview

Found in schools, foraging for food, over dead coral and rocks, of coral and rocky 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

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03

Habitat & where to find it

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

  • Range · Western Central Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Country only · 29
LIVES IN

Found in schools, foraging for food, over dead coral and rocks, of coral and rocky reefs, rich in algae growth.

04

Adult photos 29

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. familyScaridae
    2. genusScarus
    3. speciesScarus vetula Bloch & Schneider, 1801

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Parrotfishes (Scaridae)