Stoplight parrotfish

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stoplight parrotfish, 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 is a sex-changing fish inhabiting coral reefs in Florida, Bahamas, the Caribbean, eastern Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda, and Brazil. Its typical length is between 30 and 45 cm, but it can reach 60 cm at times. It is normally found during the day between 5 and 16 meters[1].

Stoplight parrotfish, initial phase
Stoplight parrotfish, 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's definitely a male.

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.

[edit] References

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


 This fish-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.