Steephead parrots (Chlorurus microrhinos)

Scientific name: Chlorurus microrhinos Bleeker, 1854

Steephead parrots (Chlorurus microrhinos)

The Steephead parrots (Chlorurus microrhinos) is a marine fish of the family Scaridae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9. Juveniles below about 8 cm are black with several horizontal white streaks. Larger ones up to about 20 cm uniformly dark, greenish brown, slowly becoming blue with age. Blue streak and patch extending behind the corner of the mouth of large males often quite brilliant. Uniformly yellowish-tan individuals rare. Caudal fin lunate in large terminal males. Scale rows on cheek 3. Median predorsal scales 3-4. Males develop large hump on head and appear blunt-headed.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Chlorurus microrhinos
Family
Scaridae (Parrotfishes)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
70.0
Common length
40
Depth range
1–35 m (3–115 ft)
Environment
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 35 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Pacific Ocean: Bali and the Philippines to the Line and Pitcairn islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Rottnest Island, Lord Howe Island and Rapa Island. The species complex comprise of Chlorurus gibbus in the Red Sea, Chlorurus strongylocephalus in the Indian Ocean and Chlorurus microrhinos in the west-central Pacific.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tmax=14; k=0.22)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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