| Marbled parrotfish | |
|---|---|
| Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Scaridae |
| Genus: | Leptoscarus Swainson, 1839 |
| Species: | L. vaigiensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Leptoscarus vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) |
|
The marbled parrotfish or seagrass parrotfish (Leptoscarus vaigiensis) is a species of parrotfish, the only member of the genus Leptoscarus. It is found in coastal regions with seagrass, ranging from the Red Sea in west to Easter Island in east, and Japan in north to New Zealand and South Africa in south.[1] Its distribution is largely anti-equatorial (i.e., found in both the Southern and Northern Hemisphere, but rare or absent near the Equator). It reaches a maximum length of 35 centimetres (14 in) and both genders are brownish and greenish.[1] Uniquely among parrotfish, females never change sex to males.[2]