©David Bellwood: Juvenile Scarus ghobban from Lizard Island (reproduced with permission, Bellwood and Choat, 1989).
Colours
Distinguishing features
A small to medium sized pale orangey brown parrotfish, with 4 mottled blue vertical bars on the sides of the body. The initial and terminal phase fish in this species are similarly coloured.
Size
- Up to 90 cm (Standard length)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
Found in nearly all habitats, with juvenile and small IP fish most common on shallow flats and lagoonal and backreef patch reefs, while larger IP and TP fish are found on deeper reef slopes and fronts.
Found in most locations around the Island.
Behaviour
The smaller Bluebarred Parrotfish are often seen in mixed schools with the Surf Parrotfish, whereas the larger specimens are usually solitary and found in deeper water. They feed on benthic turf algae from dead coral surfaces. Spawning takes place in the summer months at reef passes and points with good water flow. This species reaches 13 years of age, with both males and females present in the initial phase, but only males in the terminal phase.
Web resources
References
References that assist with identification
- Bellwood, D.R. and J.H. Choat (1989). A description of the juvenile phase colour patterns of 24 parrotfish species (Family Scaridae) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Records of the Australian Museum, 41: 1-41. LIRS catalog number 264.
Other references
- Bellwood, D.R. (1985). The functional morphology, systematics and behavioural ecology of parrotfishes (Family Scaridae), Ph.D. thesis, James Cook University, Townsville. LIRS catalog number 310.
- Bellwood, D.R. (1985). The functional morphology, systematics and behavioural ecology of parrotfishes (Family Scaridae), Ph.D. thesis, James Cook University, Townsville. LIRS catalog number 310.
- View all references