Parrotfish
Parrotfish
Fish
A brightly colored reef fish with teeth fused together into a beak shape.
💡 Fun Facts
- They use their strong beaks to scrape algae off coral reefs, helping to keep the reef clean and healthy.
- They digest the hard coral skeletons and poop out fine white sand, creating many of the world's tropical beaches.
- At night, they secrete a protective mucus bubble around themselves like a sleeping bag to hide their scent from predators.
Name Story
Scarus spp.
means “the parrot of the reef”
What does its name mean?
- Scarus — an ancient Greek name for the fish, perhaps meaning 'the leaper'Greek (skaros)
- parrotfish — parrot + fish, for its beak and bright coloursEnglish
Brightly coloured like a parrot, this reef fish even has a parrot-like "beak" — its front teeth are fused into a hard tool for scraping algae off coral. Here is a brilliant extra: by grinding up coral, parrotfish help make the soft white sand of tropical beaches.