SCARUS XANTHOPLEURA - (BLEEKER, 1853)
Picture courtesy of: Gloup Noumea
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Labriformes (Order) > Labroidei (Suborder) > Labridae (Family) > Scarus (Genus)
Poisson-perroquet à menton bleu, Bluechin Parrotfish, Red parrotfish, Red-latticed parrotfish, Akabudai, アカブダイ, 鹦哥, 红鹦哥鱼, 黄肋鹦嘴鱼,
Synonymes
Callyodon xanthopleura (Bleeker, 1853)
Scarus atropectoralis (Schultz, 1958)
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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: 15); Pelvic fin rays: I, 5; Scale rows in longitudinal series: 22; Pored lateral-line scales: 19 + 7; Scale rows between lateral line and dorsal fin origin: 1 1/2; Scale rows between lateral line and anal fin origin: 6 1/2; Median pre-dorsal-fin scale rows: 6; Median pre-pelvic-fin scale rows: 7; Circumpeduncular scales: 12. Rows of scales on cheek: 3, the lower row: 2-3 (usually: 2) scales; Principal caudal-fin rays: 13, lunate in adults. Terminal phase male measurements (% SL): body depth: 39.0, body width: 16.8, head length: 34.3, snout length 15.4. Max. length: 54.0 cm TL. Depth range: 3 - 30 m.
Color
Initial phase reddish grey, the scale edges red, with alternating dark and pale bars, most evident posteriorly; Head brownish red; Fins red; Dental plates white.
Terminal males blue-green, the edge of scales narrowly orange-pink; A very large irregular blue patch ventrally on head; Snout blue-green; Dental plates deep blue-green; Dorsal fin orange, suffused with green, with a blue streak along most spines and rays and a blue margin; Anal fin blue with a band of salmon pink that benings at base of fin anteriorly and ends irregularly in middle of posterior part of fin; Caudal fin blue-green with blue upper and lower margins.
Etymology
Scarus: from Latin, scarus = scare, or sea fish (scare is the generic vernacular name of parrot fish). The Latin word is derived from the Greek, skaros, in the same sense. The Greeks knew this family through Sparisoma cretense (Linnaeus, 1758), present on their coasts, Aristotle describes the viscera. The genus was first described by Pehr Forsskål in 1775.
xanthopleura: from Greek prefix, xanthós = yellow, blond and tawny, fawn, tan if it's used for an animal + from Greek, pleura = side. Referring to “beautiful yellow” (translation) of lower sides.
Original description: Scarus xanthopleura Bleeker, 1853 - Type locality: Jakarta, Java, Indonesia.
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Cocos-Keeling Islands and Indonesia, east to Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, north to Ryukyu Islands (Japan), south to northern Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Uncommon inhabitant of clear lagoon and seaward reefs, usually seen along drop-offs. Solitary or a small groups of 1 male with 1 or 2 females. Feed on algae and Coral polyps. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding.
Similar species
Scarus altipinnis (Steindachner, 1879) - Reported from New Caledonia. Link to the species (here). It lacks the dorsal filament.
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.
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Labriformes (Order) > Labroidei (Suborder) > Labridae (Family) > Scarus (Genus)
Poisson-perroquet à menton bleu, Bluechin Parrotfish, Red parrotfish, Red-latticed parrotfish, Akabudai, アカブダイ, 鹦哥, 红鹦哥鱼, 黄肋鹦嘴鱼,
Synonymes
Callyodon xanthopleura (Bleeker, 1853)
Scarus atropectoralis (Schultz, 1958)
--------------------------
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9; Pectoral fin rays: 14-15 (usually: 15); Pelvic fin rays: I, 5; Scale rows in longitudinal series: 22; Pored lateral-line scales: 19 + 7; Scale rows between lateral line and dorsal fin origin: 1 1/2; Scale rows between lateral line and anal fin origin: 6 1/2; Median pre-dorsal-fin scale rows: 6; Median pre-pelvic-fin scale rows: 7; Circumpeduncular scales: 12. Rows of scales on cheek: 3, the lower row: 2-3 (usually: 2) scales; Principal caudal-fin rays: 13, lunate in adults. Terminal phase male measurements (% SL): body depth: 39.0, body width: 16.8, head length: 34.3, snout length 15.4. Max. length: 54.0 cm TL. Depth range: 3 - 30 m.
Color
Initial phase reddish grey, the scale edges red, with alternating dark and pale bars, most evident posteriorly; Head brownish red; Fins red; Dental plates white.
Terminal males blue-green, the edge of scales narrowly orange-pink; A very large irregular blue patch ventrally on head; Snout blue-green; Dental plates deep blue-green; Dorsal fin orange, suffused with green, with a blue streak along most spines and rays and a blue margin; Anal fin blue with a band of salmon pink that benings at base of fin anteriorly and ends irregularly in middle of posterior part of fin; Caudal fin blue-green with blue upper and lower margins.
Etymology
Scarus: from Latin, scarus = scare, or sea fish (scare is the generic vernacular name of parrot fish). The Latin word is derived from the Greek, skaros, in the same sense. The Greeks knew this family through Sparisoma cretense (Linnaeus, 1758), present on their coasts, Aristotle describes the viscera. The genus was first described by Pehr Forsskål in 1775.
xanthopleura: from Greek prefix, xanthós = yellow, blond and tawny, fawn, tan if it's used for an animal + from Greek, pleura = side. Referring to “beautiful yellow” (translation) of lower sides.
Original description: Scarus xanthopleura Bleeker, 1853 - Type locality: Jakarta, Java, Indonesia.
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Cocos-Keeling Islands and Indonesia, east to Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, north to Ryukyu Islands (Japan), south to northern Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Uncommon inhabitant of clear lagoon and seaward reefs, usually seen along drop-offs. Solitary or a small groups of 1 male with 1 or 2 females. Feed on algae and Coral polyps. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding.
Similar species
Scarus altipinnis (Steindachner, 1879) - Reported from New Caledonia. Link to the species (here). It lacks the dorsal filament.
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.
Last update: 7, May 2023