Scarus spinus

Yellowhead Parrotfish
Scarus spinus
Scarus spinus, male, Bali, Indonesia, Photo: Ian Shaw
Scarus spinus
Scarus spinus, Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
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Scarus spinus
Scarus spinus

Distribution

Tropical Eastern Pacific, Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Rounded head shape, small pink bars on chin and dorsal and anal fin markings distinctive. Flat or slightly lunate tail.


Information

Max Size: 30 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 23.8-31.3°C

Depth: 2-25 m

Habitat Generalization Index: 4.56

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Occurrence: Infrequent (9.4% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (2 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: RD Stuart-Smith, GJ Edgar, AJ Green, IV Shaw. 2015. Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland