SCARUS ALTIPINNIS - (STEINDACHNER, 1879)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Labriformes (Order) > Labroidei (Suborder) > Labridae (Family) > Scarus (Genus)
Perroquet à bec vert, Perroquet à filament, Filament-fin parrotfish, Filament finned parrotfish, Filament-finned parrot fish, Filament-finned parrotfish, Filamentfinned parrotfish, Green-beak Parrotfish, High-fin parrotfish, Highfinned parrotfish, Mini-fin parrotfish, Minifin parrotfish, Wimpelflossen-Papageifisch, イトヒキブダイ, 高翅鸚嘴魚, 高翅鹦嘴鱼,
Synonymes
Callyodon waitei (Seale, 1906)
Pseudoscarus altipinnis (Steindachner, 1879)
Pseudoscarus brevifilis (Günther, 1909)
Scarus brevifilis (Günther, 1909)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9; Pectoral fin rays: 15; Median predorsal scales 5-6; Rows of cheek scales: 3, upper row: 6-7 scales, middle row: 6-8 scales, ventral row: 1-3 scales; Canines on upper dental plates of adults: 1-2; Spinous portion of dorsal fin distinctly higher than soft dorsal, fin membrane covering last few spinous dorsal rays and first soft ray as an extended filament; Caudal fin of adults double emarginate, lobes produced as filaments in adults. Max. length: 60.0 cm TL, common length: 41.0 cm SL. Depth range: 1 - 50 m.
Color
Juvenile: body greyish brown, caudal peduncle abruptly paler, 3-4 vertical series of white dots on sides of body; Snout and iris yellow, dental plates pale; Dorsal and anal fins with distinctive black and white mottiing, pectorals hyaline light yellowish, caudal hyaline whitish, pelvic light grey.
Initial phase: body reddish brown, sides of body posterior to pectoral fin tip with series of small distinctive white dots, these arranged roughly in 3-4 vertical series of 2-3 dots, this pattern becoming more diffuse in adults; Dorsal, anal and pelvic fins light reddish brown with bluish distal margins, pectoral light brownish, caudal reddish brown; Iris yellow, dental plates dark green.
Terminal phase: body dark greenish, distal margins of body scales with darker green bars, these more pronounced on posterior ventral regions of body, abdomen and thorax; Isthmus lighter greenish brown, scales on abdomen, base of anal fin and ventral portion of caudal peduncle with scattered greenish spots; Occiput and upper snout dark green, a dark green suborbital line, cheeks paler becoming light orange ventrally marked with greenish flecks and dots, operculum with scattering of green dots, snout becoming orange, upper lip orange with a dark green bar, lower lip orange, chin with two dark green bars; Dorsal fin greenish brown, the membranes investing each spine and ray dark green, base and distal margin of fin dark green; Anal fin greenish brown with extensive and irregular green outer margin, medial region of fin with series of dark green blotches, these becoming more pronounced posteriorly; Caudal fin brownish green, dorsal and anal lobes paler, dorsal and ventral margins dark green, posterior margin paler, medial area of caudal fin with dark greenish blotches; Pectoral fins brownish green, upper margin dark green; Pelvics pale greenish, spine and anterior ray dark green; Iris orange, dental plates dark green. In life, often a broad vertical dusky band in centre of body, with coloration anterior to this slightly paler. This dusky band intensified during reproductive behaviour.
Etymology
Scarus: from Latin, scarus = scare, or sea fish (scare is the generic vernacular name for parrot-fishes). The Latin word is derived from Greek, skaros, same meaning as Latin word. The Greek knew this family throug Sparisoma cretense (Linnaeus, 1758), reported from their coasts, Aristote described the viscus. The genus has been described for the first time by Pehr Forsskål in 1775.
altipinnis: from Latin, altus, a, um = high, tall + from Latin, pinnis = fin. Name given in reference to the terminal males' long dorsal fin rays.
Original description: Pseudoscarus altipinnis Steindachner, 1879 - Type locality: Gilbert Islands (formely Kingsmill Islands) and Hawaiian Islands.
Distribution
Western Pacific: Philippines and Papua New Guinea, east to Marshall and Pitcairn islands, north to Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands (Japan), south to Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia. Record from Lakshadweep (India) needs verification.
Biology
Adults usually seen along the reef margin of seaward reefs while juveniles and subadults are found in shallow protected reefs. Feeds mainly on algae. Adults and subadults form groups, juveniles usually solitary.
Similar species
Scarus prasiognathos (Valenciennes, 1840) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: Maldives, east to Palau and New Ireland (Papua New Guinea), north to Ryukyu Islands (Japan), south to Rottnest Island (Western Australia). The initial phase closely resembles that of Scarus altipinnis. The terminal phase has the distinctive brilliant green throat and lacks the filamentous middle dorsal spine.
Scarus xanthopleura (Bleeker, 1853) - Reported from New Caledonia. Link to the species (here).
Last update: 7, May 2023
Perroquet à bec vert, Perroquet à filament, Filament-fin parrotfish, Filament finned parrotfish, Filament-finned parrot fish, Filament-finned parrotfish, Filamentfinned parrotfish, Green-beak Parrotfish, High-fin parrotfish, Highfinned parrotfish, Mini-fin parrotfish, Minifin parrotfish, Wimpelflossen-Papageifisch, イトヒキブダイ, 高翅鸚嘴魚, 高翅鹦嘴鱼,
Synonymes
Callyodon waitei (Seale, 1906)
Pseudoscarus altipinnis (Steindachner, 1879)
Pseudoscarus brevifilis (Günther, 1909)
Scarus brevifilis (Günther, 1909)
--------------------------
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9; Pectoral fin rays: 15; Median predorsal scales 5-6; Rows of cheek scales: 3, upper row: 6-7 scales, middle row: 6-8 scales, ventral row: 1-3 scales; Canines on upper dental plates of adults: 1-2; Spinous portion of dorsal fin distinctly higher than soft dorsal, fin membrane covering last few spinous dorsal rays and first soft ray as an extended filament; Caudal fin of adults double emarginate, lobes produced as filaments in adults. Max. length: 60.0 cm TL, common length: 41.0 cm SL. Depth range: 1 - 50 m.
Color
Juvenile: body greyish brown, caudal peduncle abruptly paler, 3-4 vertical series of white dots on sides of body; Snout and iris yellow, dental plates pale; Dorsal and anal fins with distinctive black and white mottiing, pectorals hyaline light yellowish, caudal hyaline whitish, pelvic light grey.
Initial phase: body reddish brown, sides of body posterior to pectoral fin tip with series of small distinctive white dots, these arranged roughly in 3-4 vertical series of 2-3 dots, this pattern becoming more diffuse in adults; Dorsal, anal and pelvic fins light reddish brown with bluish distal margins, pectoral light brownish, caudal reddish brown; Iris yellow, dental plates dark green.
Terminal phase: body dark greenish, distal margins of body scales with darker green bars, these more pronounced on posterior ventral regions of body, abdomen and thorax; Isthmus lighter greenish brown, scales on abdomen, base of anal fin and ventral portion of caudal peduncle with scattered greenish spots; Occiput and upper snout dark green, a dark green suborbital line, cheeks paler becoming light orange ventrally marked with greenish flecks and dots, operculum with scattering of green dots, snout becoming orange, upper lip orange with a dark green bar, lower lip orange, chin with two dark green bars; Dorsal fin greenish brown, the membranes investing each spine and ray dark green, base and distal margin of fin dark green; Anal fin greenish brown with extensive and irregular green outer margin, medial region of fin with series of dark green blotches, these becoming more pronounced posteriorly; Caudal fin brownish green, dorsal and anal lobes paler, dorsal and ventral margins dark green, posterior margin paler, medial area of caudal fin with dark greenish blotches; Pectoral fins brownish green, upper margin dark green; Pelvics pale greenish, spine and anterior ray dark green; Iris orange, dental plates dark green. In life, often a broad vertical dusky band in centre of body, with coloration anterior to this slightly paler. This dusky band intensified during reproductive behaviour.
Etymology
Scarus: from Latin, scarus = scare, or sea fish (scare is the generic vernacular name for parrot-fishes). The Latin word is derived from Greek, skaros, same meaning as Latin word. The Greek knew this family throug Sparisoma cretense (Linnaeus, 1758), reported from their coasts, Aristote described the viscus. The genus has been described for the first time by Pehr Forsskål in 1775.
altipinnis: from Latin, altus, a, um = high, tall + from Latin, pinnis = fin. Name given in reference to the terminal males' long dorsal fin rays.
Original description: Pseudoscarus altipinnis Steindachner, 1879 - Type locality: Gilbert Islands (formely Kingsmill Islands) and Hawaiian Islands.
Distribution
Western Pacific: Philippines and Papua New Guinea, east to Marshall and Pitcairn islands, north to Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands (Japan), south to Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia. Record from Lakshadweep (India) needs verification.
Biology
Adults usually seen along the reef margin of seaward reefs while juveniles and subadults are found in shallow protected reefs. Feeds mainly on algae. Adults and subadults form groups, juveniles usually solitary.
Similar species
Scarus prasiognathos (Valenciennes, 1840) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: Maldives, east to Palau and New Ireland (Papua New Guinea), north to Ryukyu Islands (Japan), south to Rottnest Island (Western Australia). The initial phase closely resembles that of Scarus altipinnis. The terminal phase has the distinctive brilliant green throat and lacks the filamentous middle dorsal spine.
Scarus xanthopleura (Bleeker, 1853) - Reported from New Caledonia. Link to the species (here).
Last update: 7, May 2023