DAISY PARROTFISH
Chlorurus sordidus
(Forsskål, 1775) Pectoral rays 14-15 (rarely 14); median predorsal scales 4, progressively larger anteriorly; 2 rows of scales on cheek; no conical teeth on side of lower dental plates; large adults with 1-2 conical teeth on side of upper dental plate; lips covering less than half of dental plates; front of head strongly rounded, the dorsal and ventral profiles about equally convex; caudal fin of juveniles slightly rounded, of adults truncate (slightly emarginate in some large terminal males); initial phase dark reddish brown (often fading to light gray on anterior body and postorbital head), the ventral part of head and front of snout around mouth red; dental plates white; able to display 2 longitudinal series of small white spots on side of body; also evanescent, a broad whitish zone posteriorly with a large, round black spot on base of caudal fin; terminal males green with a pink bar on each scale except caudal peduncle, which is uniform light green; a broad zone of body often suffused with yellow; dental plates blue-green; edges of lips pink with a broad, submarginal green band; these join behind corner of mouth as a band that continues across head below eye; head above this band lavender to pale green with 2 green bands extending posteriorly from eye; juveniles dark brown with 4 narrow, whitish stripes on head and body. Attains 40 cm. Occurs throughout most of the Indo-Pacific region; type locality, Red Sea; the most common parrotfish of the genus at many localities. Callyodon bipallidus Smith is one of 16 synonyms (Parenti & Randall, 2000). Choat & Robertson in Reinboth (1975) found 11 primary males and 119 females of 130 initial-phase fish examined. Randall & Bruce (1983) reported pair spawning, and Yogo et al. (1980) both pair spawning and group spawning by initial-phase fish.

NameDaisy parrotfish 

Max Size40.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 2334)

Environmentreef-associated; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); brackish; marine; depth range 3 - 50 m

Climatetropical; 30°N - 32°S

DistributionIndo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Natal, South Africa (Ref. 5490) and east to the Hawaiian, Line, and Ducie islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Perth, New South Wales, Lord Howe Island and Rapa Island.

MorphologyDorsal spines(total): 9; Dorsal soft rays(total): 10; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 9. Initial phase very variable in coloration. Small individuals may be uniformly dark brown to light gray with or without the dark-centered light area on the caudal peduncle; large individuals may have a series of irregular rows of small light spots posteriorly or have the dark-centered light area on the caudal peduncle. The terminal phase is also variable with or without a large tan area on the side or on the caudal peduncle. Rounded snout (Ref. 48636).

BiologyOne of the most widespread parrotfishes, but highly variable and some geographical forms that are probably subspecific (Ref. 48636). Inhabits both coral rich and open pavement areas of shallow reef flats and lagoon and seaward reefs (Ref. 5213), as well as along drop-offs, behaving differently in various areas (Ref. 48636). Juveniles found in coral rubble areas of reef flats and lagoons (Ref. 9710). Juveniles and individuals in the initial phase form large groups that migrate great distances between feeding and sleeping grounds (Ref. 9710). Feeds on benthic algae (Ref. 30573). Minimum depth range reported taken from Ref. 30874.

Fishbase Credit - Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2005.FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version (06/2005).

Chlorurus sordidus

Species (Chlorurus sordidus) 12

Genus (Chlorurus) 67

Family (Scaridae) 228

Location (Honaunau) 137

Chlorurus sordidus

ITIS (United States - Interagency Taxonomic Information System)

GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)

Fishbase

Bishop Images

Google Images