Yellow shark sucker on a terminal phase stoplight parrotfish
We only know parrots as birds, but did you know we also have them as fishes? yes we do! They are called parrot fishes because of their fused teeth which bears close resemblance to a bird's beak and their bright parrot-like colors.
Here is a fun fact of Parrot fishes, they poop sand! These fishes are primarily herbivores that eats algae. Therefore, they play an important role in tropical reef ecosystems by consuming and removing macroalgae, which otherwise would cover the reef, causing it to become unhealthy and hindering it from growth. However, while eating the algae they may take chunks of corals, once this hard substance goes through their digestive system it exits the body as sand. Studies have shown that about 85% of the sand on the coral reef related beaches you walk on are parrot fish poop!
Removal of macroalgae allows the coral reef ecosystem to continue its natural process, therefore parrot fishes are also a protected species in Belize!!
The terminal phase stoplight parrotfish will change sex. If the male of a harem goes missing, one of the females transforms from initial phase to this spectacular terminal phase. The shark sucker, better known as a remora, feeds on the leavings of their hosts’ meals or, in some instances, act as cleaners by eating the external parasites of their transporters.
Parrotfish can typically be found eating algae off the reef's surface and sometimes even directly from the coral. Like many other species, this fish plays an important role in maintaining the health of our reef.
Photograph by Tony Rath
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