Carolines parrotfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carolines parrotfish |
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| Female | |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Labriformes |
| Family: | Scaridae |
| Genus: | Calotomus |
| Species: |
C. carolinus
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| Binomial name | |
| Calotomus carolinus (Valenciennes, 1840)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Calotomus carolinus, also known as the Carolines parrotfish, is a type of ray-finned fish that lives in the ocean. It belongs to the Scaridae family, which are often called parrotfish. This fish has many other common names, like the starry-eye parrotfish or Christmas parrotfish. Since it lives across the Pacific Ocean, it also has special names in local languages, such as panuhunuhunu in Hawaiian.
Contents
What Does the Carolines Parrotfish Look Like?
This fish can grow up to about 50 centimetres (20 in) long. It changes its look a lot as it grows from a young fish to an adult.
Young Fish vs. Adults
Young fish, called juveniles, are usually a mix of orangish-brown with some pink. As they grow, their colors change.
Adult males, sometimes called the "terminal stage," are often blue or green. They have cool pink lines that spread out from their eyes. Adult females, known as the "initial phase," are a mottled brown color. Their eyes stick out a bit.
Unique Teeth
The Carolines parrotfish has special teeth that are like small pebbles. These teeth are joined together to form a strong beak. This beak helps it munch on seaweed and algae. Young fish have teeth that are not fully joined yet, so you can see them on the outside of their mouth.
Where Does the Carolines Parrotfish Live?
The Carolines parrotfish lives in a wide area of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. You can find it from the coast of East Africa, across the Indian Ocean, all the way to the eastern Pacific Ocean. It lives around places like the Revillagigedo Islands and the Galapagos Islands. However, it does not live in the Red Sea.
What is its Home and Lifestyle Like?
You can usually find the Carolines parrotfish swimming alone or in small groups. They like shallow reefs or calm lagoons.
Preferred Habitats
These fish live in areas with coral, broken rocks, seagrass, and algae. They can be found in shallow reef flats, lagoons, and deeper seaward reefs. They can live in waters as deep as 27 metres (89 ft) or even more.
What Do They Eat?
The Carolines parrotfish eats different kinds of algae and seagrasses. They especially like a type of algae called Padina.
Helping the Reef
Like many parrotfish, the Carolines parrotfish helps the coral reef ecosystems. They eat the seaweed and algae that grow on the coral. This is important because too much algae can stop the coral from growing well. By eating the algae, these fish help keep the coral healthy and thriving.
Changing Gender
The Carolines parrotfish is a protogynous hermaphrodite. This means that many of these fish are born female and can later change into males.
How Was the Carolines Parrotfish Named?
The Carolines parrotfish was first officially described in 1840. A French scientist named Achille Valenciennes gave it the name Callyodon carolinus. He named it after the Caroline Islands, which is where the first fish of this type was found. Later, another scientist named Charles Henry Gilbert studied this fish more.
Gender Change in Carolines Parrotfish
Like many of its relatives, the Carolines parrotfish can change its gender. As mentioned, there are two main phases: the initial phase (usually female) and the terminal phase (usually male).
Scientists have studied this change. For example, in one study, many initial phase fish were observed. As they grew, some of them changed into terminal phase males. This shows how some fish in this species can switch from being female to male as they get older.
 | Delilah Pierce |
 | Gordon Parks |
 | Augusta Savage |
 | Charles Ethan Porter |
