Scientific Name
Sparisoma radians

Common Name
Bucktooth parrotfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9. Front of upper jaw has horizontal canine-like tusks. 2 scales between bases of pelvic fins (Ref. 26938). Drab-phase fish are olivaceous to yellowish brow, finely speckled with pale dots, many are conjoined; base and axil of pectoral fins broadly blue-green. Terminal-phase males are greenish brown with faint pale dots, some scales with reddish edges; irregular orange-red markings on opercle; a blackish bar at pectoral base; a broad blackish border posteriorly on caudal fin (Ref. 13442).

Classification

Classified By

Valenciennes, 1840

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Parrotfishes (Scaridae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida (USA), Bahamas, and eastern Gulf of Mexico through central America to Santa Catarina, Brazil (Ref. 57756).

Range

32°N -

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

12 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 12 m (Ref. 9710)

Trophic Level

2 s.e. 0.00 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

20.0 cm

Common Length

15.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5001 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of potential interest; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (16 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)