THE PARROT-FISHES 



Family LX. Scarida 



BODY oblong, moderately compressed, covered with large cy- 

 cloid scales; mouth moderate, terminal; teeth in the jaws more 

 or less coalescent at least at base; lower pharyngeals much en- 

 larged, united in a concave or spoon-shaped body, their teeth 

 broadest transversely, and truncate, arranged in mosaic; dorsal 

 continuous, its formula usually IX. 10; anal II, 9; 23 to 25 scales 

 in the lateral line. Sexes similarly coloured, the colouration almost 

 always brilliant. 



This is a large family with some 7 genera and more than 

 a hundred species, often of large size, and all are herbivorous 

 and inhabitants of warm seas. The smaller species are found 

 among the algae in shallow water on sandy shores. Some of 

 the larger ones are found about coral reefs and rocks. The flesh 

 of these fishes is soft and pasty and they are not with us re- 

 garded as possessing any food-value. In the West Indies, how- 

 ever, they are utilized to some extent, particularly by the Tor- 

 tola fishermen who fish about the east end of Porto Rico, where 

 they catch several large species of this family in traps. 



Among the natives of the Hawaiian Islands these fishes are 

 highly esteemed. Several species of Scarus occur there, known 

 by the natives as lauia, palukaluka, uhuula, etc., and they are 

 eaten raw by the natives who pay very high prices for them. 



The species of this family possess no game-qualities and are 

 of so little food-value in the United States that we shall treat 

 them very briefly. 



Th genus Sparisoma is a large one with about 18 species, 

 all but one confined to our waters. They are nearly all of small 

 size, showy colouration and, with few exceptions, of no food- 

 value. The only ones deserving mention here are the following: 

 Sparisoma abildgaardi, the red parrot-fish or loro Colorado, reaches 

 a foot or more in length. It is found among the West Indies 

 and south to Brazil. It is common about Porto Rico where it 

 is eaten. 



S. chrysopterum, the loro verde, cotoro verde, or blue parrot- 

 fish, is known from Brazil and most of the West Indies, It is 



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