Midnight parrotfish

Midnight parrotfish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Scaridae
Genus: Scarus
Species:
S. coelestinus
Binomial name
Scarus coelestinus
Synonyms[2]
  • Scarus rostratus Poey, 1860
  • Pseudoscarus simplex Poey, 1865
  • Pseudoscarus plumbeus Bean, 1912

The midnight parrotfish (Scarus coelestinus) is a species of parrotfish that inhabits coral reefs mainly in the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Florida.

The typical size is between 30 and 60 cm, but it can grow to almost 1 m. It has been observed as far north as Maryland and as far south as Brazil.[3] Usually found between 3 and 80 m deep, it swims over reefs and sandy areas, where it feeds on algae by scraping it with its teeth fused into a beak.

  1. ^ Rocha, L.A.; Choat, J.H.; Clements, K.D.; Russell, B.; Myers, R.; Lazuardi, M.E.; Muljadi, A.; Pardede, S.; Rahardjo, P. (2012). "Scarus coelestinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T190720A17793912. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T190720A17793912.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Scarus coelistinus". FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. ^ Humann, Paul; DeLoach, Ned (2002). Reef Fish Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas. Jacksonville, Florida: New World Publications, Inc. ISBN 1-878348-30-2.