Blue Barred Parrotfish, Blue Chin Parrotfish
Loro Barbazul, Perrico
(Scarus ghobban)

Blue Barred Parrotfish, Scarus ghobban: The Blue Barred Parrotfish is a fish of many colors with the females (initial phase) being drab and the males (terminal phase) being brightly colored.

This fish species is characterized by having three spoke-like radiating blue lines around the eye, blue stripes on the chin, and five pale blue bars on the sides. It does not have a hump on its forehead.

A key diagnostic for the Blue Barred Parrotfish is a pectoral fin ray count of 15. Noteworthy is the overall pink coloration with blue stripes at the top and bottom on the dorsal fin and on the edges of the anal, caudal, and pectoral fins (as pictured below).

This fish is easily confused with the Azure Parrotfish, Scarus compressus (14 pectoral fin rays). The Blue Barred Parrotfish reaches 3 feet in length and up to 14 pounds. It is found in the first 100 feet of the water column around shallow reefs adjacent to sand rubble.

Distribution in Mexico fishing areas

In Mexican waters the Blue Barred Parrotfish ranges from Cabo San Lucas to Loreto along the southeastern coast of the Baja Califo fishing rnia peninsula and from Acapulco south to Guatemala along the coastal Mexican mainland. Fish sold in local fish markets for human consumption are caught via net.

This is a member of the Scaridae Family which includes the parrotfishes which are known in Mexico as loros and perricos. Parrotfishes are seldom caught by anglers as they eat algae and coral, being significant “bio-eroders” of the coral reef providing valuable contributions to the structure via excretions. They have elongated bodies covered with large smooth scales, anal fins with three spines and nine rays, an unnotched dorsal fin with nine spines and ten rays, and fused teeth that form a parrot-like beak.

They reproduce by spawning with eggs and sperm being released into the water in very close proximity. Sex reversal occurs at midlife with juveniles, females and males of the same species have strikingly different colorations. The initial adult female phase has drab colors and the final terminal male phase has bright colors. At night parrotfish seek out caves and ledges where they rest on the bottom and secrete a mucus cocoon that completely envelops them. Globally there are 89 known species of parrotfish of which six live in Mexican waters.

Blue Barred Parrotfish picture

Blue Barred Parrotfish, Scarus ghobban: Male. Collected well out at sea off the ocean surface with a bait net while fishing in September 2006, water temperature 84 degrees, about 15 miles north of La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Size approximately 26 inches and 4 pounds. Fish identification courtesy Dr. Ross Robertson, Smithsonian Institute, Panama. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow.

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