HomeMarine aquarium fishWrassesMarbled parrotfish Marbled parrotfish (Leptoscarus vaigiensis) Scientific name: Leptoscarus vaigiensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 The Marbled parrotfish (Leptoscarus vaigiensis) is a marine fish of the family Scaridae. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 9 - 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 25. Color when fresh is greenish with pale and dark brown on scales, the latter almost covering entire scales. Head with irregular bands and spots, most distinct band on the chin. Somewhat fleshy lips, covering teeth in both jaws. Fleshy rim of anterior nostril expands dorsoposteriorly to a flap extending to or beyond posterior nostril. Yellow-orange iris with outer green ring. Flexible dorsal spines; deeply incised inter spinous membrane of dorsal fin. On males have caniniform teeth above the upper dental plates.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameLeptoscarus vaigiensisFamilyScaridae (Parrotfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length35.0EnvironmentMarine; reef-associatedClimateTropicalDistributionIndo-Pacific: northern Red Sea and South Africa to Easter Island, north to southern Japan, south to Poor Knight's Island in New Zealand and Rottnest Island in Australia. Southeast Atlantic: False Bay, South Africa.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercialResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More wrassesYellowbar parrotCalotomus zonarchusViridescent parrotfishCalotomus viridescensSpinytooth parrotfishCalotomus spinidensCarolines parrotfishCalotomus carolinusSlender wrasseSuezichthys gracilisAxillary wrasseSymphodus mediterraneusSee all wrasses SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026