Marbled Parrotfish, Leptoscarus vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)

Scientific name: Leptoscarus vaigiensis
Alternative name/s:
Also known as a Slender Parrotfish or Blue-spotted Parrotfish.
  • Updated
    31/03/21
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Leptoscarus vaigiensis Click to enlarge image
A male Blue-spotted Parrotfish speared by B.Ryan at a depth of 5m, entrance to Cape Hawke Harbour, Forster, New South Wales, March 2003 (AMS I.42602-001). Image: Bret Ryan
© Bret Ryan

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Leptoscarus
    Species
    vaigiensis
    Family
    Scaridae
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species is grows to 38 cm in length.

Introduction

The Marbled Parrotfish ccurs in tropical and some warm temperate marine waters, camouflaging itself amongst seagrass and weedy bottoms.

Identification

The Marbled Parrotfish is mottled brown to green above fading to yellow or greenish below. Males have a pale stripe along the side of the body and small blue spots on the head, body, dorsal fin and anal fin.

Females have brown and white mottling.

The teeth are fused into a parrot-like beak. The upper jaw teeth are enclosed by the lower when the mouth is closed.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical and some warm temperate marine waters of the Indo-Pacific.

In Australia it is known from south-western to north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef to the central coast of New South Wales.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
  3. Choat, J.H. & J.E. Randall. 1986. A Review of the Parrotfishes (Family Scaridae) of the Great Barrier Reef of Australia with Description of a New Species. Records of the Australian Museum. 38: 175-228.
  4. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  5. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  6. Bellwood, D.R. & 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.
  7. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.