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Rivulated parrotfish (Scarus rivulatus) — Scaridae

Rivulated parrotfish

Scarus rivulatus
Family: Scaridae
LC · Least Concern

The Rivulated parrotfish (Scarus rivulatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Scaridae that grows up to 40 cm.

Length
40 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–30.0 m
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Western Pacific
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The rivulated parrotfish is a parrotfish from the western Pacific, from Thailand to New Caledonia, north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to Australia. The species grows to about 40 cm. Females are grey-brown, large males green with orange and blue markings and a beak-like fused dentition with which it scrapes algae and coral from the reef. It lives on silty coastal and outer reefs. Like other parrotfishes it is a protogynous hermaphrodite. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Rivulated parrotfish?

The Rivulated parrotfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly green and shows a plain pattern. Beak-shaped dentition for scraping algae; protogynous hermaphrodite

Where does the Rivulated parrotfish live?

The Rivulated parrotfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Western Pacific

How big does the Rivulated parrotfish get?

The Rivulated parrotfish grows to a maximum of about 40 cm. On average the species is around 20 cm.

Is the Rivulated parrotfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Rivulated parrotfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Rivulated parrotfish edible?

Yes, the Rivulated parrotfish is commonly eaten.

More photos

Rivulated parrotfish (Scarus rivulatus) — Scaridae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Izuzuki (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Rivulated parrotfish (Scarus rivulatus) — Scaridae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Jens Sommer-Knudsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Rivulated parrotfish (Scarus rivulatus) — Scaridae — 4
momaz (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Rivulated parrotfish (Scarus rivulatus) — Scaridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Ray Turnbull, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Rivulated parrotfish verified
Scientific name
Scarus rivulatus
Family
Scaridae
Other names
Rivulated parrotfish; Scribblefaced parrotfish; Surf parrotfish; Parrotfish; Tattoed parrotfish; Tattooed parrotfish verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
30.0 verified
Natural range
Western Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Algae and coral from the reef sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced
Seasonality
Algae-scraping parrotfish; protogynous hermaphrodite. sourced
Special features
Beak-shaped dentition for scraping algae; protogynous hermaphrodite sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Scarus

More from the family Scaridae

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