Blue Faced Parrotfish

Scales large. Median predorsal scales 6; 3 scale rows on cheek, with 1-3 scales in ventral row. Caudal fins emarginate in initial phase to deeply concave in large terminal phase. Lips nearly covering dental plates; terminal males with 0-2 canines posteriorly on side of upper plate, none on lower. The initial phase closely resembles that of S. altipinnis (Ref. 1602). The terminal phase has the distinctive brilliant green throat and lacks the filamentous middle dorsal spine (Ref. 1602).

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 9

Occurs inshore (Ref. 75154).

Found in seaward slopes and reef flats (Ref. 90102). Usually associated with outer reefs but will enter shallow water in protected areas. Often in large schools (Ref. 9710). Grazes on benthic algae (Ref. 3488). Also caught with nets and other types of artisanal gear (Ref. 2689). Minimum depth of 1 m reported from Ref. 30874.

fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial

Scarus janthochir Bleeker

Scarus janthochir Bleeker, 1853, p. 139.—Schultz, 1958, p. 83, pl. 16B.

Pseudoscarcus janthochir.—Bleeker, 1862, p. 30, pl. 5.

Callyodon janthochir.—Smith, 1956, p. 14; 1959, p. 279.

Pseudoscarus falcipinnis Playfair, 1867, p. 865, fig. 3.

Callyodon falcipinnis.—Smith, 1956, p. 12, pl. 44I [Xanothon falcipinnis on pl. 44]; 1959, p. 279, pl. 44I.

Characterized by having 6 median predorsal scales, 3 rows of scales on cheek with 1 or 2 scales in ventral row, pectoral fin rays ii,13, and green teeth. Coloration green or blue-green, with dorsal half of head reddish or light brownish, contrasting sharply with bright green side of head below a line from middle of snout past lower edge of eye toward pectoral base; upper and lower lips set off by a wide red band (nearly equal to eye diameter) that may continue to eye; wide green band extending forward from eye across middle of snout, above which head is reddish brown. Edges of dorsal and anal fins blue, centers of these fins yellowish brown to reddish with green blotches on interradial membranes; pectoral fin dark blue. Center of anal fin crossed with red stripe; middle rays of caudal fin green, lobes with red streak, and edges blue.

Smith (1956, p. 12; 1959, p. 279) recognized S. falcipinnis as a valid species. A study of additional specimens indicates that S. falcipinnis should be removed from the synonymy of S. globiceps where Schultz (1958, p. 75) placed it; however, there are ii,12 pectoral rays in globiceps and ii,13 in falcipinnis. The type of S. falcipinnis (Playfair) in the British Museum (no. 820) is 350 mm in standard length and has predorsal scales 6; cheek scales dorsal row 5 and 6; middle row 7 and 6, and ventral row 1 and 1; pectoral rays ii,13–ii,13; green teeth; base of pectoral brown; anal fin with a single pale streak through middle of fin; no ocellate spot in spiny dorsal fin. These characters are the same as found in S. janthochir, to which falcipinnis is referred as a synonym.

Recently the following specimens were collected on the Te Vega Cruise 6: USNM 202669, Sta. 216, 2 February 1965, Borneo, 2 spec., 116–180 mm; Sta. TV–247, 11 March 1965, Tautsina Island, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 2 spec, 133–183 mm. Specimens 116–183 mm in standard length are plain dark chocolate brown, including all fins; teeth green; no color marks in any fins.

One specimen was collected by the Anton Bruun, 16 October 1964, Sta. 408F, Chesterfield Island, 16°21′ S, 43°59′ E.

RANGE.—Western Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.

Scarus chlorodon Jenyns

Scarus chlorodon Jenyns, 1842, p. 105, pl. 21.—Schultz, 1958, p. 86, fig. 15, pl. 17B, C; 1960, p. 249.—Kamohara and Yamakawa, 1967, p. 14 [Ishigakijima].

Callyodon chlorodon.—Munro, 1967, p. 439, fig. 835 [New Guinea].

Scarus singaporensis Bleeker, 1852, p. 69.

Pseudoscarus singaporensis.—Bleeker, 1862, p. 31, pl. 13: fig. 1.

Callyodon singaporensis.—Smith, 1956, p. 12; 1959, pp. 272, 279.

Scarus xanthopleura Bleeker, 1853, p. 499.

Pseudoscarus xanthopleura.—Bleeker, 1862, p. 24, pl. 7: fig. 1.

Pseudoscarus altipinnis Steindachner, 1879, p. 18.—Günther, 1909, p. 326, pl. 160.

Callyodon waitei Seale, 1906, p. 60, fig. 15.

Pseudoscarus godeffroyi Günther, 1909, p. 326, pl. 159.

Pseudoscarus brevifilis Günther, 1909, p. 327, pl. 161.

Scarus brevifilis.—Schultz, 1958, p. 76, pl. 13B-D 1960, p. 248.—Kamohara, 1963, p. 14.

Callyodon improvisus Smith, 1956, p. 12, pl. 41E; 1959, pp. 272, 279, pl. 41E.

Callyodon aeruginosus [not Cuvier and Valenciennes; in part C. pindae].—Smith, 1959, p. 279.

Callyodon pindae Smith, 1956, p. 11, pl. 45I; 1959, p. 272.

Callyodon ovifrons [not Temminck and Schlegel].—Masuda and Tanaka, 1962, p. 91, figs. 40, 41 [young from Japan].

Characterized by having 5 to 7 medium predorsal scales, 3 rows of scales on cheek, with 1 to 3 scales in ventral row; ii,13 pectoral rays; lips not covering green teeth. Large adults with a characteristically elongate dorsal fin ray near middle of length of that fin. Coloration of immature brownish violet or greenish violet; numerous scales with a white spot, a few white spots as large as pupil; some white on pectoral base; greenish spots may occur on head; lips dark red; distal edge of dorsal and anal fins violet or brownish violet.

Coloration of large adult males dark greenish with lighter green spots on scales, mostly posteriorly; head marked with orange bars, brightest around mouth; eye orange; dorsal and anal fins edged with dark green or blue, then yellowish submarginally, green elongate blotches near rays; central area of anal fin orange basally green; caudal fin green, except that distal margin orange, basally there is mixture of orange and brownish-green blotches.

Lower part of head behind mouth with characteristically V-shaped or double V-shaped green blotches, sometimes joined so as to cover most of underside of head.

Schultz (1958, p. 96) placed Callyodon pindae Smith as a synonym of S. aeruginosus Cuvier and Valenciennes; however, a restudy indicates it is the juvenile of S. singaporensis Bleeker. The young of S. aeruginosus do not have a white caudal peduncle or a white caudal fin.

A study of recently collected specimens from the Indian Ocean indicates that the white spots on the side of the body of this species are variable in number and position, making it quite impossible to distinguish two distinct color patterns; the specimens have the same general number of scales and pectoral fin rays. Therefore, it is probable that S. brevifilis is the central Pacific population of S. singaporensis. This problem needs a field study made on freshly caught specimens. Until this is done, the two species tentatively are considered as one.

Dr. Randall has suggested that S. chlorodon Jenyns is the large adult male, an opinion with which I concur.

RANGE.—Central and western Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.

分布於印度-西太平洋區，由馬爾地夫到巴布亞新幾內亞的新愛爾蘭島，包括可可-基靈群島，北至琉球群島，南至菲律賓，包括帛琉。台灣東部、南部及各離島均有分布。

主要捕獲的漁法是延繩釣、一支釣、流刺網及籠具等，而本種魚亦是潛水鏢魚的對象以及水族館展示魚種。全年皆產，夏季最盛。屬中大型的食用魚，清蒸、鹽燒、紅燒均可。

體延長而略側扁。頭部輪廓呈平滑的弧型。後鼻孔並不明顯的大於前鼻孔。齒板之外表面平滑，上齒板幾被上唇所覆蓋；齒板上無犬齒；每一上咽骨具1列臼齒狀之咽頭齒。背鰭前中線鱗約6-7；頰鱗3列，上列為5鱗；中列為6-7鱗；下列為1-2鱗。胸鰭具15軟條。幼期之尾鰭為略圓形，成體則為雙凹形。初期階段(IP, Initial phase)的雌魚體色為深紅褐色，腹部體色較淡，並具小而不規則之淡藍色斑點；頭部為淡紅褐色，除了頜部外，分佈有藍色的小點及短紋，頜部具長形之藍色條紋；背鰭之鰭膜具藍色條紋，外緣亦為藍色；尾鰭具有藍色小斑點，上、下緣為灰綠色。終期階段(TP, Terminal phase)的雄魚體色為黃綠色；鱗片外緣為深橄欖色；頭背側鮮黃色，吻部及頭腹側藍綠色；口角至眼部具鮮黃色斜紋；背鰭為藍綠色，於各鰭膜間均有橙色條紋；臀鰭為藍色，中央部位橙色色帶；胸鰭為紫藍色，外緣為藍色；腹鰭為綠色，具藍色及橙色外緣；尾鰭鰭膜為深藍綠色，外緣為深藍色，上下葉均具橙色縱紋。

喜成群地棲息於陡峭的珊瑚礁斜坡水域。以藻類及底棲生物為食。

Scarus prasiognathos, the Singapore parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is native to the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans, where it lives in coral reefs.

This species was first formally described in 1840 by the French naturalist Achille Valenciennes (1794-1865) with the type locality given as New Ireland in the Bismarck Archipelago.

immature juvenile

initial phase (female)

final phase (male)