Green-snout Parrotfish

Scarus viridifucatus is a species of parrotfish.

Description

A greenish parrotfish with pinkish purple scale margins, and a large bluish-green patch on the side of the snout that runs under the chin. Males recognized by the nearly all green snout from front of eyes.

Females are dark brown with a dark reddish to orange-brown head, and sometimes five indistinct irregular pale bars on the body.

It has 4 median predorsal scales; 2 scales on third row on the cheek; 12 pectoral fin rays; 1 main and 2 rudimentary rows of teeth on the upper pharyngeal which are deep interdigitated, with main teeth notched-shaped. Length/width ratio of the lower dental plate is 2.80.

Distribution

Western Indian Ocean: East Africa, including Madagascar, Seychelles, and Maldives. Also reported from Phuket, Thailand and Bali and Sulawesi, Indonesia. Probably related to Scarus spinus in the Central and Western Pacific.

Habitat

Found solitary in shallow reefs, on flats and reef fronts or rocky shores of high islands; also on mixed algae rubble and rich coral patches. Feeds on benthic algae.