Ember parrotfish

Ember parrotfish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Scaridae
Genus: Scarus
Species: S. rubroviolaceus
Binomial name
Scarus rubroviolaceus
(Bleeker, 1847)[1]

The ember parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus) is a species of parrotfish native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is also known as the bicolor parrotfish[2] and the redlip parrotfish.[3]

Distribution

The ember parrotfish is widespread and abundant. It has been found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, with its range including Japan, eastern Africa, and the Hawaiian islands.[3]

Description

The species is sexually dimorphic, with the males possessing a bright, greenish-blue color while the females are a duller brown.[4]

Habitat and behavior

Diet includes aquatic plants and benthic algea, which they scrape off rocks using their beak.

Importance to humans

The ember parrotfish is commercially fished, and can be kept in saltwater aquariums.[2]

Etymology

The genus name, Scarus, comes from the Greek word "skaros", meaning "parrotfish".[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Scarus rubroviolaceus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 27 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2014). "Scarus rubroviolaceus" in FishBase. April 2014 version.
  3. 1 2 http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/190731/0
  4. ↑ http://www.marinelifephotography.com/fishes/parrotfishes/scarus-rubroviolaceus.htm


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