258 UNDERWATER GUIDE TO MARINE LIFE 



razor fishes, Xyrichthys, are much compressed and have a rounded forehead 

 which is often so compressed as to have a sharp leading edge. No attempt will 

 be made to separate the numerous West Indian species. There is only one 

 southern Californian form, the so-called "parrot fish," Iridio semicinctus. Razor 

 fishes and slippery dicks build nests of sand or coral in which to lay their eggs. 

 Most of the smaller ones bury themselves in sand or stones, where they are able 

 to hide from enemies or sleep at night. The razor fishes, in particular, are adapted 

 to living near sandy bottoms. They build homes of bits of debris and keep them 

 in constant repair. When pursued, they are able to move freely under sand. 

 Agility under sand is due mainly to their knife-edged forehead and compressed 

 body. 



PARROT FISHES: Family Scaridae 



The large scales, bright colors, heavy bodies, and lumbering movements of 

 parrot fishes are strongly reminiscent of huge goldfishes. The name is derived 

 from the parrotlike beak of fused teeth in the mouth. These, even more than 

 wrasses, are typical of reefs, being found almost no place else. About reefs, they 

 are the most common large fishes. They are nonschooling but are gregarious, 

 swimming with their own kind, near relatives, or near other reef fishes, such as 

 the doctorfishes. The strong beaks, which can snip a stout wire in two, are 

 used to graze over reefs for both animal and plant substances. The diver will 

 often hear them crunching on coral. After a meal, large ones often stand erect 

 and let small wrasse clean the coral fragments and sand from their heads and 

 mouths. 



Parrot fishes will usually not allow close approach. It is far better to let them 

 approach the swimmer; they are skittish but still moderately curious. If ap- 

 proached closely, they swim away in a very characteristic manner, using a flap- 

 ping motion of their large pectorals and using the tail for little but steering. 

 They occasionally roll ever so slightly from side to side in order to peek back at 

 their pursuer, first over one shoulder then the other. Swimming like this, they 

 do not move speedily, but they can easily outdistance the swimmer. Like many 

 other fishes, parrot fishes learn very quickly to avoid a man with a spear. Parrot 

 fishes become very large and heavy and enter very shallow waters occasionally. 

 They are frequently gaudily colored with green, red, yellow, or blue. There are 

 over one hundred species of parrot fishes the world over. Ekman (1952) says 

 there are none on the West Coast of North America, but Jordan and Everman 

 (1900) report one rare species. Some are quite small, attaining a maximum size 

 of under 1 foot. Large ones seem to have few enemies. 



RED PARROT FISH (loro COLORADO): Sparisovia ahUdgaardi—Color Photograph 



Size: To 1 foot. 



Distrihution: West Indies to Florida. 



Identification: Members of this genus are all rather small and have a lower 

 jaw that is as long as the upper. The scales on the head are few and large, and 

 the beak is white or rosy. This species has bright red fins and a distinctive colora- 

 tion in which the scales are clearly outlined in black. Some scales are white, 

 giving the fish a sparkling, mottled appearance, but spotting and blotching can 

 vary considerably. 



