SCARUS SCHLEGELI - (BLEEKER, 1861)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Labriformes (Order) > Labroidei (Suborder) > Labridae (Family) > Scarus (Genus)
Perroquet à raie jaune, Perroquet à barre jaune, Five-banded parrotfish, Schlegel's parrotfish, Yellowband parrotfish, Yellowbar parrotfish, Obibudai, オビブダイ, 鹦哥, 許氏鸚嘴魚, 许氏鹦嘴鱼,
Synonymes
Pseudoscarus pentazona (Bleeker, 1861)
Pseudoscarus schlegeli (Bleeker, 1861)
Scarus cypho (Seale, 1901)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9; Pectoral fin rays : 14-15 (usually: 14); Scales large. Median predorsal scales: 4, subequal, second scale largest; 2 rows of cheek scales; Upper row: 6-7 scales, lower row: 5-7 scales; Caudal fin of initial phase slightly rounded, terminal phase with lobes slightly produced giving double emarginate effect; Dental plates nearly covered by teeth; Initial phase fish lacking canines on dental plates; Terminal phase males usually with a single canine on upper dental plate and 2 on lower; Small terminal phase individuals may lack these completely. Max. length: 40.0 cm TL male, 30.0 cm TL female. Depth range: 1 - 50 m.
Color
Juvenile: body dark brown with 5 pale vertical bars, first beneath 5th dorsal spine, last on caudal peduncle; Snout and chin paler, each with faint transverse bluish band; Median and caudal fins dark brownish; Pectoral fins hyaline with slightly darker upper rays and base. In life, general impression is of dark fish with indistinct pale vertical bars. When juvenile fish are schooling, bars may be absent.
Initial phase: body coloration ranges from pale brownish to darker purplish brown; In paler individuals faint orange bars at bases of body scales may be detected; 5 pale vertical bars on body as in juvenile phase, these varying in development and intensity, but always visible; Snout pale grey to orangish with pale bluish margin to upper and lower lip, bluish bar on chin, faint bluish band extending from corner of mouth to anterior margin of eye; Median fins brownish to light orange with medial series of bluish blotches; Distal margins blue; Caudal fin light brownish with vertical faint green markings; Pectoral fins pale with indistinct dark spot at upper base; Pelvic fins with light brownish anterior margins. When feeding in small groups, background coloration in initial phase individuals may be pale grey (especially on the anterior regions) with expanded pale vertical bars; This gives an impression of a pale mottled fish. In larger schools and especially when moving to and at spawning sites, body purplish with narrowed and sometimes indistinct pale vertical bars. Females retain this pattern while spawning. Initial phase males in spawning aggregations distinguished by uniform dark coloration of body and fins with vertical pale bars being reduced to indistinct pale saddles on dorsum. Anterior dorsal region from 3rd dorsal spine to snout tip paler, this pale area not extending below lower margin of eye (corresponds to lilac dorsal patch developed in spawning terminal phase individuals); Distal margin of spinous portion of dorsal fin pale; Dental plates white.
Terminal phase: body dark greenish, margins of scales broadly edged with orange-red, this color best developed on scale bases; Anterior dorsal region of body back to 6th dorsal spine solid green to greenish grey, this color not extending below lower margin of orbit; Body with greenish yellow band extending from dorsal spines 7-9 to origin of anal fin; This band covers 10th to 13th scale rows of dorsum; Upper region of this band bright yellow; Anterior regions of body and head below dorsal green area dark brown to greenish, cheek slightly paler; Snout pale reddish to brown; Lips edged with blue; Distinct pale bar on chin (in some specimens this may extend as faint line to eye); Chin and isthmus paler; Broad blue-green band from corner of mouth to anterior margin of eye; Two horizontal green bands extending backward from eye; Subopercle blue-green; Dark green medial stripe extending from isthmus to vent; Median fins orange, spotted with green, spots in single median row on dorsal and anal fins, usually confluent to form single median line on anterior dorsal and anal fins, distal margins of fins blue-green; Caudal fin with spots aligned in 3 vertical bands; Dorsal and ventral margins of caudal fin blue-green; Pectoral fins pale greenish, becoming light brownish dorsally, base and upper margin bluegreen, a dark spot in upper corner of pectoral base; Pelvic fins blue with band of orange on first soft ray; Dental plates greenish. During spawning episodes the following modifications occur in terminal color pattern: body becomes dark brown to purplish overall; Anterior dorsal green region becomes intense lilac color with pinkish blotch over anterior region of snout; Dorsal yellow spot and transverse greenish bar strongly emphasised against general darkening of body.
Major characteristic of living terminal phase specimens is green area on head and dorsum, yellow dorsal patch and transverse band. These contrast strongly with dark body coloration. On removal from water these contrasts immediately reduced. In initial phase individuals removal from water is often followed by lightening of body coloration and loss of definition of pale bars.
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.
schlegeli: in honnor of Hermann Schlegel (1804–1884), a German ornithologist and herpetologist.
Original description: Pseudoscarus schlegeli Bleeker, 1861 - Type locality: Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) and Indonesia, east to Micronesia and Tuamotu Archipelago, north to southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands, south to Rottnest Island (Western Australia), Capricorn Group (Queensland, Australia), Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia.
Biology
Inhabits lagoon and seaward reefs. Adults are common in areas with rich coral and high vertical relief. A solitary species. Juveniles may school with other species. Form feeding aggregations on rubble and mixed rubble-coral slopes rather than on flats. Females often in schools of mixed species when feeding, males usually seen separate. Feeds on benthic algae. Males exhibit territorial tendencies.
Similar species
Scarus dimidiatus (Bleeker, 1859) - Reported from Southeastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Indonesia, east to Micronesia and Samoa, north to Ryukyu Islands (Japan), south to northern Australia. When spawning, terminal phase coloration shows a number of similarities to spawning terminal phase Scarus schlegeli.
Scarus globiceps (Valenciennes, 1840) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here). Females (initial phase) are dark brownish with 4-5 pale chevron-shaped bands on the body.
Scarus spinus (Kner, 1868) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here). Small individuals of Scarus spinus may be confused with initial phase of Scarus schlegeli.
Last update: 8, May 2023
Perroquet à raie jaune, Perroquet à barre jaune, Five-banded parrotfish, Schlegel's parrotfish, Yellowband parrotfish, Yellowbar parrotfish, Obibudai, オビブダイ, 鹦哥, 許氏鸚嘴魚, 许氏鹦嘴鱼,
Synonymes
Pseudoscarus pentazona (Bleeker, 1861)
Pseudoscarus schlegeli (Bleeker, 1861)
Scarus cypho (Seale, 1901)
---------------------------
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9; Pectoral fin rays : 14-15 (usually: 14); Scales large. Median predorsal scales: 4, subequal, second scale largest; 2 rows of cheek scales; Upper row: 6-7 scales, lower row: 5-7 scales; Caudal fin of initial phase slightly rounded, terminal phase with lobes slightly produced giving double emarginate effect; Dental plates nearly covered by teeth; Initial phase fish lacking canines on dental plates; Terminal phase males usually with a single canine on upper dental plate and 2 on lower; Small terminal phase individuals may lack these completely. Max. length: 40.0 cm TL male, 30.0 cm TL female. Depth range: 1 - 50 m.
Color
Juvenile: body dark brown with 5 pale vertical bars, first beneath 5th dorsal spine, last on caudal peduncle; Snout and chin paler, each with faint transverse bluish band; Median and caudal fins dark brownish; Pectoral fins hyaline with slightly darker upper rays and base. In life, general impression is of dark fish with indistinct pale vertical bars. When juvenile fish are schooling, bars may be absent.
Initial phase: body coloration ranges from pale brownish to darker purplish brown; In paler individuals faint orange bars at bases of body scales may be detected; 5 pale vertical bars on body as in juvenile phase, these varying in development and intensity, but always visible; Snout pale grey to orangish with pale bluish margin to upper and lower lip, bluish bar on chin, faint bluish band extending from corner of mouth to anterior margin of eye; Median fins brownish to light orange with medial series of bluish blotches; Distal margins blue; Caudal fin light brownish with vertical faint green markings; Pectoral fins pale with indistinct dark spot at upper base; Pelvic fins with light brownish anterior margins. When feeding in small groups, background coloration in initial phase individuals may be pale grey (especially on the anterior regions) with expanded pale vertical bars; This gives an impression of a pale mottled fish. In larger schools and especially when moving to and at spawning sites, body purplish with narrowed and sometimes indistinct pale vertical bars. Females retain this pattern while spawning. Initial phase males in spawning aggregations distinguished by uniform dark coloration of body and fins with vertical pale bars being reduced to indistinct pale saddles on dorsum. Anterior dorsal region from 3rd dorsal spine to snout tip paler, this pale area not extending below lower margin of eye (corresponds to lilac dorsal patch developed in spawning terminal phase individuals); Distal margin of spinous portion of dorsal fin pale; Dental plates white.
Terminal phase: body dark greenish, margins of scales broadly edged with orange-red, this color best developed on scale bases; Anterior dorsal region of body back to 6th dorsal spine solid green to greenish grey, this color not extending below lower margin of orbit; Body with greenish yellow band extending from dorsal spines 7-9 to origin of anal fin; This band covers 10th to 13th scale rows of dorsum; Upper region of this band bright yellow; Anterior regions of body and head below dorsal green area dark brown to greenish, cheek slightly paler; Snout pale reddish to brown; Lips edged with blue; Distinct pale bar on chin (in some specimens this may extend as faint line to eye); Chin and isthmus paler; Broad blue-green band from corner of mouth to anterior margin of eye; Two horizontal green bands extending backward from eye; Subopercle blue-green; Dark green medial stripe extending from isthmus to vent; Median fins orange, spotted with green, spots in single median row on dorsal and anal fins, usually confluent to form single median line on anterior dorsal and anal fins, distal margins of fins blue-green; Caudal fin with spots aligned in 3 vertical bands; Dorsal and ventral margins of caudal fin blue-green; Pectoral fins pale greenish, becoming light brownish dorsally, base and upper margin bluegreen, a dark spot in upper corner of pectoral base; Pelvic fins blue with band of orange on first soft ray; Dental plates greenish. During spawning episodes the following modifications occur in terminal color pattern: body becomes dark brown to purplish overall; Anterior dorsal green region becomes intense lilac color with pinkish blotch over anterior region of snout; Dorsal yellow spot and transverse greenish bar strongly emphasised against general darkening of body.
Major characteristic of living terminal phase specimens is green area on head and dorsum, yellow dorsal patch and transverse band. These contrast strongly with dark body coloration. On removal from water these contrasts immediately reduced. In initial phase individuals removal from water is often followed by lightening of body coloration and loss of definition of pale bars.
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.
schlegeli: in honnor of Hermann Schlegel (1804–1884), a German ornithologist and herpetologist.
Original description: Pseudoscarus schlegeli Bleeker, 1861 - Type locality: Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) and Indonesia, east to Micronesia and Tuamotu Archipelago, north to southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands, south to Rottnest Island (Western Australia), Capricorn Group (Queensland, Australia), Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia.
Biology
Inhabits lagoon and seaward reefs. Adults are common in areas with rich coral and high vertical relief. A solitary species. Juveniles may school with other species. Form feeding aggregations on rubble and mixed rubble-coral slopes rather than on flats. Females often in schools of mixed species when feeding, males usually seen separate. Feeds on benthic algae. Males exhibit territorial tendencies.
Similar species
Scarus dimidiatus (Bleeker, 1859) - Reported from Southeastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Indonesia, east to Micronesia and Samoa, north to Ryukyu Islands (Japan), south to northern Australia. When spawning, terminal phase coloration shows a number of similarities to spawning terminal phase Scarus schlegeli.
Scarus globiceps (Valenciennes, 1840) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here). Females (initial phase) are dark brownish with 4-5 pale chevron-shaped bands on the body.
Scarus spinus (Kner, 1868) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here). Small individuals of Scarus spinus may be confused with initial phase of Scarus schlegeli.
Last update: 8, May 2023