Scientific Name
Scarus oviceps

Common Name
Dark capped parrotfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9. Males recognized by the dark area over head and body, and females yellow barring (Ref. 48636). Closely resembles S. dimidiatus, but S. oviceps differs in that its initial phase has fewer, less vertical diagonal black bars on the back and the terminal phase lacks the light-centered bar between the eye and the pectoral fin base, is darker and less brilliant blue on the upper head and back and is usually larger.

Classification

Classified By

Valenciennes, 1840

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Parrotfishes (Scaridae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Mauritius (Ref. 5503) to the Line and Tuamoto islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Shark Bay and the Great Barrier Reef.

Range

30°N - 27°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

15 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 15 m (Ref. 30874)

Trophic Level

2 s.e. 0.00 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

35.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (27 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)