Rainbow Parrotfish
~Animal of the Arctic~
Description
- Orange fins with streaks of green (ARK)
- Deep green bodies (ARK)
- Unusual mouth parts (ARK)
- Length of growth is 1.2 meters max for males (ARK)
Photo: Unknown
Habitat
- Their habitat has to do with 3 to 25 meters at the depths of coral reefs. It has important nursery areas, is predator safe, and provides food rich area are the mangroves. (ARK)
- Western Atlantic, from Florida, Bermuda, and Bahamas to Argentina are its range occurrences. (ARK)
- Shallow waters, sheltered reefs, and mangrove sites are usually where they are associated with. (Redlist)
- Their habitats are usually small oceanic ones and they have been found on rocks in Bermuda, also rocky islands that are isolated, too. (Redlist)
Photo: Jerry Reid
Food Chains
- This animal is a herbivore, which means its diet comprises only vegetable matter. (ARK)
- Feeds on detritus/bacterial complexes and meiofauna sponges. (ARK)
Photo: Hoskovec M.
Rainbow Parrotfish Video
Rainbow Parrot fish, Roatan Honduras.
Adaptions
- They have unusual mouth parts. In order to scrap algae and other organic matter from the covering of the coral, the teeth are fused to form a tough parrot like beak. (ARK)
- The one who defends a territory is a terminal phase male. The most dominate female will take over if the male dies. (ARK)
Photo: Roban Kramer
Endangerment and Critical Information
- Pollution, global warming, over-fishing and costal development are some of the threats. (ARK)
- The destruction of mangroves and poisoning are also causing them to die. (ARK)
- They can slowly try to limit their destruction to the mangroves because of its importance. (ARK)
- There are also reservations of reefs to prevent fishing and other pressures. (ARK)
Photo: Two Wings