Species: Sparisoma chrysopterum, Redtail Parrotfish

Sparisoma chrysopterum (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Redtail Parrotfish

Body elongate, somewhat compressed; head relatively long and pointed, flat between eyes; flap at front nostril simple, with no more than 6 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 15-20; dorsal fin IX, 10, spine membranes with 1 cirrus, no notch between spines and rays; anal fin III, 9; tail fin distinctly concave in IP, strongly concave in TP; scales large, smooth, 1 row on cheek, 4 scales on center of nape before dorsal fin; lateral line in 2 sections.

Initial phase: grey brown to reddish brown; scales on belly and chest with red spots; a dark blotch at upper pectoral base; tail fin pale on base, pinkish to red at rear, upper and lower borders faintly barred. Terminal phase: blue green, paler bluish below; pectoral yellow with a black blotch on upper base; a large elongate blue blotch on side behind pectoral base; tail fin with blue-green base, a brownish C shaped bar from tail tips through center of fin, a yellowish bar behind that and a red crescent at the end of the fin.

Reaches 46 cm; up to at least 5 years.

On rubble and seagrass adjacent to reefs, occasionally on reefs.

Depth range: 1-61 m.

Bermuda to the S Caribbean.