Species: Sparisoma aurofrenatum, Redband Parrotfish

Sparisoma aurofrenatum (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1840)

Redband Parrotfish

Body elongate, somewhat compressed; flap at front nostril tall, with 4-8 cirri in adult; teeth fused into a beak with broad plates, outer surface of plates rough with individual teeth visible, partly covered by lips; front edge of top jaw inside front edge of lower jaw when mouth is closed; 1-2 canines on rear side of top jaw; large crushing plates of molar teeth form “pharyngeal mill” in throat; gill rakers 11-16; tips of membranes between dorsal spines with 1 small cirrus or none; dorsal fin IX, 10, no notch between spines and rays; anal fin III, 9; scales large, smooth, 1 row on cheek, 4 scales on center of nape before dorsal fin; 2 scales on centerline before pelvic fins; lateral line in 2 sections.

Juvenile: like IP, but iris red, and with a dark blotch on and behind the top corner of the operculum. Initial phase: body dark to mid grey brown, paler below, sometimes with two pale stripes (mouth to tail base, over eye to tail base); a white spot on upper tail base just behind dorsal fin; median fins reddish to brownish. Terminal phase: Greenish grey, paler below, flank yellowish brown, with a reddish tint below; a red stripe from mouth, under eye to upper operculum; iris red; a yellow blotch (bordered above by a cluster of small black spots) behind upper corner of operculum; dorsal and anal fins reddish; tail fin yellowish grey, broadly bordered above, below and behind by red, tips of lobes black.

Reaches 28 cm; up to at least 5 years.

On reefs and adjacent seagrass and algal beds.

Depth: 1-117 m.

Bermuda to the S Caribbean.