Yellowtail parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Sparisoma rubripinne
- Common name
- Yellowtail parrotfish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Labridae
- Genus
- Sparisoma
- Size
- 25–50 cm
- Depth
- 1–35 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- coral-reef, seagrass
- Behaviours
- schooling, grazer
- Ocean zones
- Caribbean, Eastern Pacific
Description
Sparisoma rubripinne reaches 50 cm. Parrotfish with marked dimorphism. Females and initial phases gray-brown to beige with characteristic red-orange pectoral (hence rubripinne) and black peduncle spot. Terminal males uniform blue-green with paler snout. Protogynous hermaphrodite. Lives in mixed schools or solitary from 1 to 35 m on coral reefs and seagrass of Caribbean. Essential herbivore for algae control on degraded reefs. Accessible but less spectacular photo subject.
Photo of Yellowtail parrotfish
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Yellowtail parrotfish?
- Yellowtail parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) reaches 25–50 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Yellowtail parrotfish?
- Yellowtail parrotfish is found between 1–35 m deep.
- Is the Yellowtail parrotfish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Yellowtail parrotfish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Yellowtail parrotfish?
- Found in: Caribbean, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Sparisoma
- Sparisoma chrysopterum - Redtail parrotfish
- Sparisoma viride - Stoplight parrotfish
- Sparisoma cretense - Mediterranean parrotfish
- Sparisoma strigatum - Cape Verde parrotfish
- Sparisoma atomarium - Atomium Parrotfish
- Sparisoma radians - Radiant Parrotfish
Other species in the family Labridae
- Labrus merula - Brown wrasse
- Bodianus rufus - Spanish hogfish
- Bodianus pulchellus - Cuban hogfish
- Halichoeres pictus - Rainbow wrasse
- Halichoeres cyanocephalus - Yellowcheek wrasse
- Scarus iseri - Striped parrotfish
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 159301)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2393924)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia