Home · Scaridae · Half-toothed parrot-fish
Half-toothed parrot-fish (Calotomus spinidens) — Scaridae

Half-toothed parrot-fish

Calotomus spinidens
Family: Scaridae
LC · Least Concern

The Half-toothed parrot-fish (Calotomus spinidens) is a saltwater fish of the family Scaridae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–72.0 m
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The spinytooth parrotfish is a small parrotfish of the family Scaridae from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 30 cm and has a greenish to brownish body that hides well among vegetation. Unlike many reef-dwelling parrotfishes it lives in coastal bays and deep lagoons with seagrass beds and dense algal beds. Unlike its relatives with a true parrot beak it has separate, partly overlapping teeth. As a herbivore it grazes seagrass and algae. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Half-toothed parrot-fish?

The Half-toothed parrot-fish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly green and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Half-toothed parrot-fish live?

The Half-toothed parrot-fish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Half-toothed parrot-fish get?

The Half-toothed parrot-fish grows to a maximum of about 30 cm.

Is the Half-toothed parrot-fish dangerous to humans?

No, the Half-toothed parrot-fish is harmless to humans.

Is the Half-toothed parrot-fish edible?

The Half-toothed parrot-fish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Stekeltand-papegaaivis sourced
English name
Half-toothed parrot-fish verified
Scientific name
Calotomus spinidens
Family
Scaridae
Other names
Parrotfish; Raggedtooth parrotfish; Spiny tooth parrotfish; Spinytooth parrotfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Green inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
72.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Calotomus

More from the family Scaridae

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