| 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, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda and as far south as Brazil.[1] Its typical length is between 1–1.5 ft (30–46 cm), but it can reach 2 ft (61 cm) at times. It is normally found during the day between 15–80 ft (4.6–24 m).[1]
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.