[Full Text Link]
Who?
Family: Scaridae
Species: Scarus vetula
Species ID: S.SV
Description: Adult queen parrotfish have two colour phases – initial phase and terminal phase. Initial phase fish can be either male or female. They are heavy-bodied and coloured reddish-brown with a pale head and a single broad, white stripe (1) running along each side of the fish. Terminal phase fish are always male, and sometimes referred to as supermales”. They are usually larger than the initial phase, and coloured pale blue-green with bright blue and green markings around the mouth (2) as well as a pale blue bar (3) on each pectoral fin. All life stages have prominent, beaklike teeth, characteristic of the parrotfish family (4)
Maximum Size: 61 cm (24 in)
Longevity: Unknown, but up to 20 years based on the longevity of related parrotfish
Status: Not currently on the IUCN endangered species list
Queen Parrotfish & People: The queen parrotfish is fished locally in the Caribbean, usually by spearfishing and in fishpots, but is not of great commercial importance
Where?
Geographical Range: Fairly common throughout the shallow waters of the Caribbean
Coral Reef Zone: Found mainly in the back reef and fore reef zones
Favourite Habitat: Queen parrotfish prefer areas of rock or coral rubble where they can find plenty of algae to consume
Depth Range: 3 – 25 m (10 – 80 ft)
A Day in The Life
Dawn: Spawning activity occurs in the early morning just after sunrise
Day: Queen parrotfish roam the reef, scraping algae off rocks and dead coral
Dusk: Fish look for a place to spend the night, often on sand next to reef
Night: Queen parrotfish sleep within protective mucous cocoons
Who Eats Who
Adult queen parrotfish are eaten by a variety of large reef predators, most notably grouper, eels and sharks. Queen parrotfish are omnivores. They feed on turf algae, but occasionally consume sponges, corals and reef encrusting animals as they feed.
Scuba Diver & Snorkeler Best Practices
Don’t disturb the wildlife Interfering with wildlife may frighten them, disrupting feeding and mating behaviours and even provoking an attack on you! Hanging onto marine wildlife such as turtles, dolphins and whale sharks can cause them stress. Maintain your distance—wildlife will spend longer in your vicinity if they feel comfortable in your presence.
