Species · GBIF taxon 9811485
Blue Parrotfish
Scarus coeruleusBlue parrotfish drift across sunlit Caribbean reefs like vibrant azure shadows, scraping algae from dead coral with their fused, beak-like teeth. These industrious herbivores spend up to ninety percent of their day feeding, grinding up limestone skeleton and excreting it as fine white sand that builds tropical beaches. At night, they seek shelter in reef crevices, sometimes spinning a transparent mucus cocoon to mask their scent from nocturnal predators.
Reef-dwellingVibrantDiurnal
Licensed referenceDerek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
- diet
- Herbivorous (algae scraped from coral)
- family
- Scaridae
- threats
- Habitat degradation, coastal development, overfishing
- life Span
- Up to 20 years
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Listen closely: Snorkelers can easily hear the distinct crunching sound of their teeth scraping against coral.
- Keep your distance: Avoid crowding feeding schools to prevent them from scattering and interrupting their grazing.
- Look for sand: Watch behind a feeding individual to see the clouds of freshly processed coral sand they release.