Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Scaridae (Parrotfishes) > Scarinae
Etymology: Scarus: Greek, skaros = a fish described by anciente writers as a parrot fish; 1601 (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 25 m (Ref. 9710), usually 2 - 15 m (Ref. 37816). Tropical, preferred ?; 30°N - 24°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Pacific Ocean: Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean (Ref. 30874), then from the Philippines to Samoa, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2334)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9. Males distinct and head looks bright yellow underwater; females drab with white teeth and some pale spots (Ref. 48636). Scales large. 4 median predorsal scales; a transverse pair of smaller scales which overlap medially in mid-dorsal line located directly anterior to 1st median scale; 3 scale rows on cheek, lower row with 1-2 (usually 2) scales. Caudal fin slightly rounded to truncate in initial phase; moderately to deeply emarginate in terminal phase. Adults in initial phase without canines on upper plate, 1 on lower; terminal-phase fish with 1-2 canines on upper and lower plates. Lips largely or entirely cover dental plates.

Inhabits coral-rich areas of outer lagoon and seaward reefs (Ref. 9710). Usually solitary (Ref. 9710). Females usually in small groups with a male nearby; they may mix with females of similar species (Ref. 48636). An uncommon fish patchily distributed through much of its range.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Westneat, Mark | Collaborators

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. (Ref. 2334)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

FAO(Publication : search) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

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Internet sources

Scarus spinus (Kner, 1868)