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Species: Sparisoma rubripinne, Yellowtail parrotfish

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IP - grey, tail base & C yellow
TP - grey-green, iris red, C- center yellow
juv like IP
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This Species (20) This Genus (8) Similar Species (2)

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Sparisoma rubripinne (Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1840)

Yellowtail parrotfish

Body elongate but robust, somewhat compressed; head relatively blunt; convex between eyes; flap at front nostril with 12-20 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 17; dorsal fin IX, 10, spine membranes with many cirri, but may be only 1 cirrus in large adults, no notch between spines and rays; anal fin III, 9; tail fin slightly concave in IP, more so 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: pale grey brown, scale edges dark; tail base and tail fin yellow; pelvic and anal fin with a reddish tint. Terminal phase: grey green head, body and most of fins; iris red; sometimes a pale (or yellowish) area along flank; a dark blotch at base of pectoral fin; tail fin with a pale (sometimes yellow) crescent at rear.

Reaches 48 cm; up to at least 6 years.

On reefs, and adjacent seagrass and algal beds.

Depth range: 0-60 m.

Bermda  to the S Caribbean.

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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Rocks
  • Reef and soft bottom
  • Corals
  • Submerged vegetation
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Herbivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Benthic microalgae
  • Benthic macroalgae/seagrasses
Egg Type
  • Pelagic larva
  • Data
  • Pelagic
Global Endemism
  • All species.
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • All species..
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Least concern
CITES
  • Not listed
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 60
Length Max
  • 48