Colours

Distinguishing features

A small to medium sized parrotfish with exposed dental plates that can have considerable colour variation.

Terminal phase: square-cut tail, pale green tail base, yellowish/orange patch on rear body, pectoral fins green with a thin purple stripe, dark purple patch between snout and eye, often two dark lines behind eye, often with thin pink/purple lines outlining mouth. The fish can darken its colour to a brownish-green from time to time.

Initial phase: square-cut tail, dark maroon-brown with pink/red around the lips, and often with a double row of four white spots along the side. These fish can change colour, with a lighter colour pattern frequently seen in the larger IP fish.

Juvenile: square-cut tail, dark brown with several horizontal white stripes. Larger juveniles become maroon/brown anteriorly with a white tail and tail base with a large dark spot.

Size

Depth range

Synonyms

Similar taxa

Distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Found in nearly all habitats, but most common on shallow flats and lagoonal and backreef patch reefs.

Behaviour

The Greenfin Parrotfish, along with others from the genus Chlorurus, have exposed teeth in powerful jaws, and they use an excavating mode of feeding. They take benthic turf algae from dead coral surfaces, and due to their high numbers are considered important agents of bioerosion. Spawning takes place in the summer months at reef passes and points with good water flow. This species reaches 8-9 years of age, with both males and females present in the initial phase, but only males in the green terminal phase. There are strong differences in the demography of this species between Lizard Island and the outer barrier reef. Population density at Lizard is 50% lower than at the outer barrier, however fish at Lizard grow faster, live longer, and suffer less mortality.

Web resources

References