Bicolour parrotfish
Cetoscarus bicolor
Yellowbarred Parrotfish
Scarus dimidiatus
About
The yellowbarred parrotfish is named for the bold slanted bars across its back. It is a colour-changing reef fish that grows up to 40 cm. Males and females look very different from each other.
Also known as: blue-bridle parrotfish, saddled parrotfish, turquoise-capped parrotfish, blue-bridle parrotfish, parrotfish, saddled parrotfish, captain parrotfish, bluebridle parrotfish, turquoise-capped parrotfish, yellow-barred parrotfish, bluebridle parrotfish
- Length
- 40 cm
- Depth
- up to 25 m
How to tell it apart
This species looks very like Scarus oviceps, another parrotfish sharing its range. Check for the pale-centred bar between the eye and the pectoral-fin base. Scarus oviceps lacks this bar, so seeing it confirms a yellowbarred parrotfish.
Appearance
Males have a blue snout and a blue band behind the eye. Males in eastern parts of its range have a blue cheek; those further west have a yellow cheek. Females are grey to yellow, with a dusky, saddle-shaped patch across the back. Both sexes carry slanted dark bars across the back. A pale-centred bar runs between the eye and the base of the pectoral fin, the fin just behind the gills.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
