Diagnostic Description
provided by Fishbase
Gray overall, with faint yellow lines on side and yellow line from corner of mouth to preopercle (Ref. 26938). Upper part pf opercular membrane blackish. The young may display pale spots nearly as large as eye on the head, body and fins (Ref. 13442). Each jaw with a regular row of close-set, strong, incisor-like, round-tipped teeth of a peculiar hockey stick-shape, their bases set horizontally, resembling a radially striated bony plate inside mouth (Ref 52729).
- Recorder
- Grace Tolentino Pablico
Life Cycle
provided by Fishbase
Oviparous (Ref. 101771).
Morphology
provided by Fishbase
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 11
- Recorder
- Grace Tolentino Pablico
Trophic Strategy
provided by Fishbase
Inhabits shallow waters, over turtle grass, sand or rocky bottom and around coral reefs (Ref. 3725). Young commonly found among floating Sargassum seaweeds (Ref. 3725). Feeds on plants, mainly on benthic algae, as well as on small crabs and mollusks (Ref. 6547). Also feeds on spinner dolphinsâ feces and vomits at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, southeast Atlantic. The offal feeding may be regarded as a simple behavioral shift from plankton feeding to drifting offal picking (Ref. 48727). Browser fish that bite off pieces of plants that project above the substrate (Ref. 40396). Feeds more on benthic algae but may occasionally graze on seagrasses on the bottom (Ref. 35209). Herbivore (Ref. 33499, 57616).
Biology
provided by Fishbase
Inhabits shallow waters, over turtle grass, sand or rocky bottom and around coral reefs (Ref. 3725). Young commonly found among floating Sargassum seaweeds (Ref. 3725). Feeds on plants, mainly on benthic algae, as well as on small crabs and mollusks (Ref. 6547, 44187). Also feeds on spinner dolphinsâ feces and vomits at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, southeast Atlantic. The offal feeding may be regarded as a simple behavioral shift from plankton feeding to drifting offal picking (Ref. 48727). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3725).
Importance
provided by Fishbase
fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums; price category: high; price reliability: questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this genus