Teleostei (teleosts) >
Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) >
Scaridae (Parrotfishes) > Scarinae
Etymology: Chlorurus: Greek, chloros = green + Greek oura = tail (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Dr Pieter Bleeker (1819–1878) was an ichthyologist and army surgeon commissioned (1841) by the Dutch East India Company. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 35 m (Ref. 90102), usually 5 - 25 m (Ref. 9793). Tropical; 21°N - 25°S, 104°E - 174°W
Indo-Pacific: East Indian region to Micronesia, Samoa, and Fiji and Philippines to Australia; throughout East Indian region except Andaman Sea.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 49.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710)
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9. This species is distinguished by the following characters: median predorsal scales 5-7 (usually 6); 2 scale rows on cheek, 1(6-8), 2(6-8); pectoral-fin rays 15; dental plates well exposed, lips not covering the plates; 1-2 conical teeth on side of upper dental plate; caudal fin truncate. Colour of initial phase (IP) dark brown with broad pale bars on sides and pale caudal fin and caudal peduncle; male with greenish large pale cream patch below eye bordered entirely by a thick green line. Male greenish with pink scale edges, green central zone and outer margins on tail and large rectangular whitish area on cheek; female dark brown with 3-4 broad pale bars (Ref. 9793, 90102, 117228).
Found in clear coastal and inner reefs (Ref. 48636); in lagoons and channel reefs (Ref. 2334). Feeds by scraping algae from the substrate (Ref. 26993). Females usually in small groups and maybe mixed with other species when feeding; males solitary nearby (Ref. 48636). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).
Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p. (Ref. 2334)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.8 - 29.3, mean 28.6 °C (based on 1692 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02754 (0.01438 - 0.05275), b=3.01 (2.83 - 3.19), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.0 ±0.00 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (39 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 29.6 [9.5, 107.8] mg/100g; Iron = 0.556 [0.210, 1.463] mg/100g; Protein = 18.2 [16.1, 20.2] %; Omega3 = 0.0691 [, ] g/100g; Selenium = 40.8 [12.1, 129.1] μg/100g; VitaminA = 30 [7, 121] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.73 [0.73, 3.23] mg/100g (wet weight);