WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Raggedtooth Parrotfish

Calotomus spinidens

Also known as: Half-toothed Parrotfish, Japanese Parrotfish, Marbled Parrotfish, Palecheek Parrotfish, Spinytooth Parrotfish, Spiny-toothed Parrotfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2012
Adult
@designedforx · KE, Kenya · July 20161 / 3
01

Overview

Found singly, in algae and seagrass beds, blending in with their surroundings, over coastal bays and deep lagoons, 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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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Country only · 3
LIVES IN

Found singly, in algae and seagrass beds, blending in with their surroundings, over coastal bays and deep lagoons, rich in algae growth.

04

Adult photos 3

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. familyScaridae
    2. genusCalotomus
    3. speciesCalotomus spinidens (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Parrotfishes (Scaridae)