Scarus spinus explained
Scarus spinus, the Greensnout parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Labridae.[1]
Description
Scarus spinus can reach a total length of about 30 cm (in males).[1] These fishes have 10 dorsal soft rays, 3 anal spines and 9 anal soft rays. Males show a bright yellow head underwater, while females are drab with white teeth and some pale spots. Caudal fin is moderately to deeply emarginate in terminal phase. Lips largely cover dental plates.[1]
Distribution and habitat
This species can be found on Christmas Island and from the Philippines to Samoa, the Ryukyu Islands and the southern Great Barrier Reef. The Greensnout parrotfish inhabits coral-rich areas of outer lagoon and seaward reefs, at a depth range 0 - 30 m.[1]
Biology
It appears specialized in scraping crustose coralline algae with its jaw.[2] It can change gender from female to male (hermaphroditic).[3]
References
- This article has been expanded using, inter alia, material based on a translation of an article from the Spanish Wikipedia, by the same name.
Further reading
- Fenner, Robert M.: The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. Neptune City, New Jersey,: T.F.H. Publications, 2001.
- Helfman, G., B. Collette y D. Facey: The diversity of fishes. Blackwell Science, Malden, Massachusetts, 1997.
- Hoese, D.F. 1986. A M.M. Smith y P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlín,
- Maugé, L.A. 1986. A J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse y D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB Bruselas; MRAC, Tervuren, Flandes; y ORSTOM, París, France. Vol. 2.
- Moyle, P. y J. Cech.: Fishes: An Introduction to Ichthyology, 4a. edición, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. 2000.
- Nelson, J.: Fishes of the World, 3rd. ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 1994.
- Wheeler, A.: The World Encyclopedia of Fishes, 2nd. edición, London: Macdonald.
External links
Notes and References
- https://fishbase.mnhn.fr/summary/4974 Fishbase
- Scarus spinus, crustose coralline algae and cyanobacteria: An example of dietary specialization in the parrotfishes . 10.1007/s00338-022-02295-y . 2022 . Nicholson . Georgina M. . Clements . Kendall D. . Coral Reefs . 41 . 5 . 1465–1479 . 2292/62414 . free .
- https://reefapp.net/en/encyclopedia/scarus-spinus Reefapp
