2 BULLETIN 214, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



many of the descriptions in the literature are wholly inadequate, so 

 that, in the absence of a carefully drawn illustration of the color 

 pattern, it is almost impossible to recognize the species described. 



The characters most useful in recognizing species of parrotfishes 

 are (1) number of rows of teeth on the pharyngeal bones, (2) number 

 of median predorsal scales, (3) number of rows of scales on the cheek, 



(4) number of scales in the ventral row on the cheek, (either second 

 or third row, since in many species the third or ventral row is absent) , 



(5) number of pectoral rays, and (6) the color pattern. 



The usual counts of fin rays, scales, and gill rakers have been of 

 limited value in the recognition of many species, leaving color pattern 

 as the only usable character, a fact which greatly complicates identi- 

 fication of long-preserved or faded specimens. This problem was 

 solved in part by the use of Kodachromes, fresh material, and color 

 drawings; nevertheless, it was necessary to illustrate nearly every 

 one of the 80 species herein distinguished. Color characteristics of 

 the body are important, but so are the position and shape of the 

 bands, blotches, and bars on the head. These generally vary among 

 species more widely than do body colors, but at the same time they 

 are more stable, and thus more characteristic, within each species. 

 The number of streaks on the median fins is important, too. 



While there is some variability in color pattern for each species, m 

 all instances where a large series of a species was available, certain 

 details of the color pattern were sufficiently constant so that the 

 species could be recognized, even after long preservation. These 

 characters are indicated in the key, in drawings and photographs, 

 and in the short diagnosis given for each species. 



Many species of parrotfishes pass through from one to three color 

 phases, as indicated by Parr (Bull. Bingham Oceanogr. Coll., vol. 3, 

 art. 4, pp. 109-115, 1930). In general these are (1) juvenile, in which 

 the color may consist of two or three alternating dark and light streaks ; 

 or spots that are dark or mottled pale and dark or plain in color, 



(2) immature, in which the color pattern is usually some shade of 

 red or brown or purple, or the body may be dark spotted or mottled; 



(3) adult, in which the color pattern appears to be reached some- 

 what before or at sexual maturity, with the predominating colors 

 generally green, blue, pink or red, orange, and yellow. A few species 

 are brownish ; some of these are females, but the males of the species 

 predominate in shades of green or blue. Certain species may never 

 have the adult or "green" color phase but the majority studied did. 



In several species sexual dichromatism is indicated, for example in 

 Scarus sordidus and in S. perspicillatus. In the latter it has been 

 proven without doubt by Vernon Brock and Y. Yamaguchi (Copeia, 

 No. 2, pp. 154-155, 1954) that the males possess characteristic' blue 



