Stoplight parrotfish

Stoplight parrotfish
Male (terminal phase)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Scaridae
Genus: Sparisoma
Species: S. viride
Binomial name
Sparisoma viride

The stoplight parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) is a species of parrotfish inhabiting coral reefs in Florida, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda and as far south as Brazil.[1] Like most of its relatives, it is able to change sex. Its typical length is between 1 and 1.5 ft (30 and 46 cm), but it can reach 2 ft (61 cm) at times. It is normally found during the day at depths between 15 and 80 ft (4.6 and 24.4 m).[1]

Initial phase

The colors of the stoplight parrotfish in the initial phase, when it could be either a male or a female, are dramatically different from those in the terminal phase, when it is definitely a male. In the initial phase, the stoplight parrotfish can rapidly change the color of the scales on its underside from red to white.

The common name, stoplight, comes from the marked yellow spot near the pectoral fin, which is clearly visible only in specimens in the terminal phase.

References

  1. 1 2 Humann, DeLoach (2002). Reef Fish Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas. New World Publications, Inc. ISBN 1-878348-30-2.

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