Bolbometopon muricatum

(Valenciennes, 1840)

Vernacular names
English : Green humphead parrotfish
French : Poisson perroquet à bosse

Classification
Class : Teleostei
Order : Eupercaria i. s. (sometimes still Perciformes)
Family : Scaridae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
The largest parrotfish with a length of 130 cm for a weight of 46 kg. Unmistakable with its very large hump on forehead and its straight vertical face. Body laterally compressed with large scales. Coloration greenish-grey with pink lips.

Range and habitat
The species is found in the Indo-Pacific area, from Red Sea and East Africa to south Japan and North Australia, east to Line islands. Lives in protected and outward lagoons, seaward reefs, to 40 m deep.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : VULNERABLE
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species is now declining alarmingly fast in areas where it is targeted by fisheries. Coral reef destruction is another major threat.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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