Scarus psittacus

• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Common Names

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Description

Family Scaridae

Chiefly tropical . Distribution: Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Jaw teeth fused or parrotlike. Spines in dorsal fin 9; soft rays 10. Three spines in anal fin; soft rays 9. One spine in pelvic ; soft rays 5. Caudal fin with 11 branched rays . Scales large; cycloid. Lateral line with usually 22-24 scales. Vertebrae 25. Herbivorous, usually scraping algae from dead coral substrates. Bits of rock eaten with the algae are crushed into sand and ground with the algae to aid in digestion , making parrotfish some of the most important producers of sand on coral reefs. At night, some species rest enveloped in their mucoid secretion. Sex change seems a common occurence, with an initial phase (IP) of both males and females, and the latter changing into a brilliantly colored male terminal phase (TP). Terminal males dimonate several females; pelagic spawners. Many species could be identified by their live coloration but this may be lost in preservation, or can vary between juveniles and adults and with sex change. Important food fishes . Difficult to maintain in aquaria as the fused teeth need to constantly graze dead coral rock in order to keep from growing too long.The family Scaridae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the Order Perciformes. It contains 9 genera and 83 species. It may be found in Marine environments and is primarily Marine. Many members of this family are used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is labriform . Compared with other fish, the activity level of this family tends to be normal. Members of this family have been dated back to the Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period. Etymology of this family name : Latin, sacrus = a fish described by ancient writers; 1601

Habitat

Inhabits reef flats and lagoon and seaward reefs to at least 25 m depth[1]. Found over corals [2].

Typically found in water with a depth of 0 to -5,455 meters (0 to -17,897 feet).[3]

Biome: Saltwater . Reef-associated .

Biology

Diet

Initial-phase fish stage usually form small feeding schools[4]. Grazes on benthic algae[5].

Behavior

Predators:

It secretes a mucus cocoon [1].

Taxonomy

Ambiguous Synonyms

1. Pseudocarus oktodon Bleeker, 1861
2. Scarus oktodon (Bleeker, 1861)
3. Xanothon oktodon (Bleeker, 1861)

Unambiguous Synonyms

1. Callyodon bataviensis (Bleeker, 1857)
2. Callyodon erythacus Jordan & Seale, 1906
3. Callyodon forsteri (Valenciennes, 1840)
4. Callyodon hornbosteli Fowler, 1925
5. Pseudoscarus filholi Sauvage, 1880
6. Pseudoscarus forskalii Klunzinger, 1871
7. Pseudoscarus labiosus Macleay, 1883
8. Scarus balinensis Bleeker, 1849
9. Scarus bataviensis Bleeker, 1857
10. Scarus brunneus Jenkins, 1901
11. Scarus forsteri Valenciennes, 1840
12. Scarus galena Jordan, 1925
13. Scarus gilberti Jenkins, 1901
14. Scarus hertit Valenciennes, 1840
15. Scarus jenkinsi Jordan & Evermann, 1903
16. Scarus psittacus Forssk ål, 1775
17. Scarus taeniurus Valenciennes, 1840
18. Scarus venosus Valenciennes, 1840
19. Xanothon bataviensis (Bleeker, 1857)
20. Xanothon carifanus Smith, 1956
21. Xanothon parvidens Smith, 1956
22. Xanothon venosus (Valenciennes, 1840)

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Family : Parrotfishes .

Similar Species

Members of the genus Scarus

There are approximately 299 species in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

S. ghobban · S. abildgardii · S. abilgardii · S. acroptilus · S. acutus · S. globiceps · S. ahula · S. alternans · S. altipinnis (Filament-Finned Parrot Fish) · S. amplus · S. apridentatus · S. arabicus (Arabian Parrotfish) · S. aracanga · S. arcuatus · S. atomarius · S. atropectoralis · S. auritus · S. aurofrenatum · S. aurofrenatus · S. axillaris · S. azureus · S. balinensis · S. barborus · S. barffi · S. bataviensis · S. bennetti · S. bicolor · S. bipallidus · S. bleekeri · S. blochi · S. bollmani · S. bottae · S. bowersi · S. brachialis · S. brachyvarius · S. brevifilis · S. brighami · S. brunneus · S. caeruleo-punctatus · S. caerulescens · S. caeruleus · S. californiensis · S. calus · S. canariensis · S. caninus · S. capistratoides · S. capistratus · S. capitaneus · S. catesby · S. catesbyi · S. caudofasciatus (Tail-Barred Parrotfish) · S. celebicus · S. niger · S. chameleon (Chameleon Parrotfish) · S. chinensis · S. chloris · S. rubroviolaceus · S. chrysopoma · S. chrysopomus · S. chrysopterum · S. chrysopterus · S. circumnotatus · S. coccineus · S. coelestinus (Midnight Parrotfish) · S. coerulens · S. coeruleopunctatus · S. coeruleus (Blue Parrotfish) · S. collana (Greenband Parrotfish) · S. collaris · S. compressus (Azure Parrotfish) · S. cretensis · S. croicencis · S. zelindae · S. cruciensis · S. cruentatus · S. cuzamilae · S. cyanescens · S. cyanognathos · S. cyanognathus · S. cyanotaenia · S. cyanurus · S. cypho · S. denticulatus · S. dentiens · S. diadema · S. dimidiatus (Turquoise-Capped Parrotfish) · S. distinctus · S. dubius (Whitelined Parrotfish) · S. dussumieri · S. emarginatus · S. emblematicus · S. enneacanthus · S. erythacusn · S. erythrinoides · S. erythrodon · S. erythrogenys · S. evermanni · S. falcipinnis (Greenbelly Parrotfish) · S. fasciatus · S. ferrugineus (Rusty Parrotfish)

More Info

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Further Reading

• A catalogue of the fishes known to inhabit the waters of North America, north of th Tropic of Cancer, with notes on the species discovered in 1883 and 1884, by David Starr Jordan. Washington, Govt. print. off., 1885. ENG url p. 100.
• Allen, G.R. and R.C. Steene (1988). Fishes of Christmas Island Indian Ocean. Christmas Island Natural History Association, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, 6798, Australia. 197 p.
• Allen, G.R. and W.F. Smith-Vaniz (1994). Fishes of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Res. Bull. 412:21 p.
• Bruce, R.W. and J.E. Randall (1984). Scaridae. In W. Fischer and G. Bianchi (eds.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. (Western Indian Ocean fishing area 51). volume 3. [var. pag.] FAO, Rome.
• Bulletin - United States National Museum. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, [etc.];1877-1971. ENG url p. 13, p. 243, p. 30, p. 381, p. 382.
• Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). London: BM(NH) url p. 163, p. 170, p. 84.
• Catalogue of the fishes in the Museum / by A. G�nther 1862 ENG url p. 223.
• Cornic, A. (1987). Poissons de l'Ile Maurice. Editions de l'Océan Indien, Stanley Rose Hill, Ile Maurice. 335 p.
• Fischer, W., I. Sousa, C. Silva, A. de Freitas, J.M. Poutiers, W. Schneider, T.C. Borges, J.P. Feral and A. Massinga (1990). Fichas FAO de identificaçao de espécies para actividades de pesca. Guia de campo das espécies comerciais marinhas e de águas salob
• Francis, M. P. (1993). Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec Islands, Southwest Pacific Ocean. Pac. Sci. 47(2):136-170.
• Histoire naturelle des poissons / par le Cen Lacep��de. A Paris: Chez Saugrain. .., l'an VII de la R�publique [1799, i.e. 1803]-an XII [1804]. FRE url p. 10, p. 3.
• Histoire naturelle des poissons, par M. le B.on Cuvier et par M. Valenciennes. Paris, Chez F. G. Levrault; [etc., etc.]1828-49. FRE url p. 226.
• Histoire naturelle, g�n�rale et particuli��re, des poissons; ouvrage faisant suite � l'Histoire naturelle g�n�rale et particuli��re, compos�e par Leclerc de Buffon, et mise dans un nouvel ordre par C.S. Sonnini, avec des notes et des additions. Paris, L'impr. de F. Dufart, an 11-12[1802-1804] FRE url p. 357.
• Huang, Z. (2001). Marine species and their distribution in China's Seas. pp. 404- 463. Vertebrata. Smithsonian Institution, Florida, USA. 598 p.
• Kailola, P.J. (1987). The fishes of Papua New Guinea: a revised and annotated checklist. Vol. II Scorpaenidae to Callionymidae. Research Bulletin No. 41, Research Section, Dept. of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Papua New Guinea.
• Kapoor, D., R. Dayal and A.G. Ponniah (2002). Fish biodiversity of India. National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources Lucknow, India.775 p.
• Klunzinger, C.B. (1871m): Synopsis der Fische des Rothen Meeres. (II. Theil) - Verhandlungen der K�nigl.Kaiserl. Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft Wien 21, pp. [566-567]
• Kulbicki, M., J.E. Randall and J. Rivaton (1994). Checklist of the fishes of the Chesterfield Islands (Coral Sea). Micronesica 27(1/2):1-43.
• Machida, Y. 1990 A new ophidiid species, Hoplobrotula badia, from Sagami Bay, central Japan. Jap. J. Ichthyol. 37(3):209-214.
• McCormack, G. (2000). Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage database. Sent by Gerald McCormack as RTF document in May 2000 for use in FishBase.
• Mitteilungen aus dem Naturhistorischen Museum in Hamburg. Hamburg: L& Wulff, 1884-1915. GER url p. 167.
• Myers, R.F. (1991). Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p.
• Myers, R.F. (1999). Micronesian reef fishes: a comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia, 3rd revised and expanded edition. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 330 p.
• 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.
• Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. [Philadelphia, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia] ENG url p. 139.
• Proceedings of the United States National Museum. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, [etc.] ENG url p. 177, p. 83.
• Randall, J.E. (1986). Scaridae. p. 706-714. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
• Randall, J.E. (1995). Coastal fishes of Oman. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 439 p.
• Randall, J.E. (1997). Randall's underwater photos. Collection of over 2, 000 underwater photos (slides). Unpublished.
• Randall, J.E. and C. Anderson (1993). Annotated checklist of the epipelagic and shore fishes of the Maldives Islands. Ichthyol. Bull. of the J.L.B. Smith Inst. of Ichthyol. 59:47.
• Randall, John E., and Robin W. Bruce 1983. The Parrotfishes of the Subfamily Scarinae of the Western Indian Ocean with Descriptions of three New Species. Ichthyological Bulletin of the J. L. B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, no. 47. J. L. B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology. Rhodes Univ., Grahamstown, South Africa. 39.
• Report of the Commissioner - United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries. Washington, The Commission; U.S. Govt. Print. Off. ENG url p. 888.
• Shao, K.-T., S.-C. Shen, T.-S. Chiu and C.-S. Tzeng (1992). Distribution and database of fishes in Taiwan. p. 173-206. In C.-Y. Peng (ed.) Collections of research studies on 'Survey of Taiwan biological resources and information management'. Institute
• Smith, A. and P. Dalzell (1993). Fisheries resources and management investigations in Woleai Atoll, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia. Inshore Fish. Res. Proj., Tech. Doc., South Pacific Commission. Noumea, New Caledonia. 64 p.
• Sommer, C., W. Schneider and J.-M. Poutiers (1996). FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of Somalia. FAO, Rome. 376 p.
• The Natural history of Enewetak Atoll / edited by Dennis M. Devaney [et al.]; prepared by Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Department of Energy. Oak Ridge, Tenn.: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Energy Research, Office of Health and Environmental Research, Ecological Research Division, c1987. ENG url p. 306, p. 307, p. 323.
• The class Pisces / arranged by the Baron Cuvier with supplementary additions, by Edward Griffith and Charles Hamilton Smith. London: Whittaker, 1834. ENG url p. 265.
• The genera of fishes A contribution to the stability of scientific nomenclature. By David Starr Jordan. Stanford University, Calif., The University, 1917-20. ENG url p. 33, p. 33.
• The marine fishes of Panama. by Seth E. Meek and Samuel F. Hildebrand; Wilfred H. Osgood, editor Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History, 1928 ENG url p. 735.
• Wass, R. C. (1984). An annotated checklist of the fishes of Samoa. Natl. Ocean. Atmos. Adminis. Tech. Rept., Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., Spec. Sci. Rept. Fish. (781).
• Winterbottom, R. and R.C. Anderson (1997). A revised checklist of the epipelagic and shore fishes of the Chagos Archipelago, Central Indian Ocean. Ichthyol. Bull. Smith. Inst. (66):1-28.

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed April 20, 2007.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed June 01, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 01, 2008:

• FishBase: FishBase DiGIR Provider - Philippine Server
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: AIMS - Baited Remote Underwater Video Station (OBIS Australia)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: AIMS LTM Fish (OBIS Australia)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity - Fish Collection (AfrOBIS)
• Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History: Vertebrate specimens
• Museum national d'histoire naturelle: Ichtyologie
• Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University: MCZ Fish Collection
• National Chemical Laboratory: IndOBIS, Indian Ocean Node of OBIS
• OZCAM (Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums) Provider: Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums
• Royal Ontario Museum: Fish specimens
• Senckenberg: Collection Pisces
• SysTax
• SysTax: Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde, Stuttgart

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2501508
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Fis-31424
• Fishbase Species ID: 5553
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13749620
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 170855
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 123980

Footnotes

1. Myers, R.F. (1991). Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p. [back]
2. Fischer, W., I. Sousa, C. Silva, A. de Freitas, J.M. Poutiers, W. Schneider, T.C. Borges, J.P. Feral and A. Massinga (1990). Fichas FAO de identifica�ao de esp�cies para actividades de pesca. Guia de campo das esp�cies comerciais marinhas e de �guas salob [back]
3. Mean = -647.200 meters (-2,123.360 feet), Standard Deviation = 1,050.750 based on 492 observations. Ocean depth information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
4. Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene (1990). Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p. [back]
5. Bruce, R.W. and J.E. Randall (1984). Scaridae. In W. Fischer and G. Bianchi (eds.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. (Western Indian Ocean fishing area 51). volume 3. [var. pag.] FAO, Rome. [back]

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