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Fivesaddle parrotfish (Scarus scaber) — Scaridae

Fivesaddle parrotfish

Scarus scaber
Family: Scaridae
LC · Least Concern

The Fivesaddle parrotfish (Scarus scaber) is a saltwater fish of the family Scaridae that grows up to 37 cm.

Length
37 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–20.0 m
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The fivesaddle parrotfish is a parrotfish from the Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa to the western Pacific. The species grows to about 37 cm. Females are reddish-brown with faint saddle marks, large males green-blue with orange and green markings and a beak-like dentition with which it scrapes algae from the reef. It lives on coral-rich lagoon 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 Fivesaddle parrotfish?

The Fivesaddle parrotfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly green and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Fivesaddle parrotfish live?

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

How big does the Fivesaddle parrotfish get?

The Fivesaddle parrotfish grows to a maximum of about 37 cm.

Is the Fivesaddle parrotfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Fivesaddle parrotfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Fivesaddle parrotfish edible?

Yes, the Fivesaddle parrotfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Vijfband-papegaaivis verified
English name
Fivesaddle parrotfish verified
Scientific name
Scarus scaber
Family
Scaridae
Other names
Fivesaddle parrotfish; Five-saddle parrotfish; Parrotfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
37.0 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)
20.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly 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 Scarus

More from the family Scaridae

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