Stoplight Parrotfish

Sparisoma viride

Parrotfishes are grazers, like cows and goats, except that they feed on coral reefs. They use their beaks to nip pieces of large algae and to scrape algae and sponges from rocky bottoms. When parrotfishes feed, the noise of their teeth scraping rock is easily heard.

Look For : A green parrotfish with yellow spot at top of gill cover, yellow crescents at tail base (supermales). Female (pictured) gray and black with bright red belly.

Length : 22".

Habitat : Coral reefs.

Range : Florida to Brazil, Bermuda, West Indies.