GLOBEHEAD PARROTFISH
Scarus globiceps
Valenciennes in C & V, 1840 Pectoral rays 14; median predorsal scales 5-7 (rarely 7, usually 6), the third or fourth largest; usually a pair of small scales anterior to first median predorsal scale; 3 rows of scales on cheek, the lower row with 1-4 scales; initial phase with no conical teeth on side of dental plates; large terminal males with 1 or 2 conical teeth on side of upper and lower plates; lips nearly covering dental plates; terminal males with a slight convexity in dorsal profile of forehead; caudal fin of initial phase truncate, of terminal males emarginate; initial phase brownish gray with 3 longitudinal whitish lines on abdomen; fins reddish brown; terminal males green with salmon pink edges on scales except ventrally where the green forms stripes separated by pale violet to lavender bands, and anteriorly where the green breaks into numerous small green spots; head green with an oblique lavender-pink band passing through lower part of eye; snout mainly lavender-gray, becoming spotted with green in interorbital and nearly solid green on nape; head behind eye lavender-pink with small green spots and irregular lines; a small blackish spot at base of fourth dorsal spine. Largest specimen examined, 27 cm (Randall & Bruce, 1983). East coast of Africa to Line Islands, Society Islands (type locality, Tahiti), and Rapa; Ryukyu Islands and Ogasawara Islands to Great Barrier Reef, Lord Howe Island, and New Caledonia; a shallow-water coral-reef fish seen more in outer-reef areas than in protected waters; initial phase sometimes forms small aggregations. Scarus lepidus Jenyns is a synonym.

NameGlobehead parrotfish 

Max Size27.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 5490); max. published weight: 500 g (Ref. 3488)

Environmentreef-associated; marine; depth range - 12 m

Climatetropical; 30°N - 28°S

DistributionIndo-Pacific: East Africa to the Line and Society islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Shark Bay and the southern Great Barrier Reef of Australia and Rapa in the Austral Islands. Presence in Somalia to be confirmed (Ref. 30573).

MorphologyDorsal spines(total): 9; Dorsal soft rays(total): 10; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 9. Primary phases of S. globiceps, S. psittacus and S. rivulatus are difficult to distinguish from one another. S. globiceps differs in that it is the only one with 3 scale rows and 5 or more scales in the ventral row.

BiologyMore common in outer reef habitats than in protected waters. Spawns in groups or in pairs. Caught mainly with traps, nets and other types of artisanal gear.

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

Scarus globiceps

Species (Scarus globiceps) 8

Genus (Scarus) 148

Family (Scaridae) 228

Location (Christmas Island) 219

Scarus globiceps

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