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UNDERWATER GUIDE TO MARINE LIFE 



Fig. 147. Tof. The indigo pairotfish, Pseudoscarus coelestinus, second largest of 

 the North American farrotfishes, probably reaches IVz feet in length. Bottom. The 

 bhie parrotpsh, Scarus coeruleus, is a beautiful sky-blue color and develops a large 

 fleshy lump on the nose when it matures. A blue-striped grunt scowls from under 

 part of a wreck in the background. 



on each scale. The belly and throat are reddish brown. The vertical fins are 

 edged with blue-green. As they get older, they take on a reddish-brown color 

 anteriorly and are greenish posteriorly, as pictured, but the coloration is always 

 subject to great variation. 



Habits: Like those of the senus Scarus. 



Similar Species: The indigo parrot fish (purple parrot fish, wine-colored parrot 

 fish), Pseudoscarus coelestinus (/ig. 147'), is a very dark blue or purplish parrot 

 fish with the jaws, forehead, and base of the spiny dorsal fin colored a very bright 

 greenish blue. The authors found it common in the Bahamas, and the individual 

 shown in the photograph was a minimum of 2 feet long. 



