Page 40 - MG Magazine

carus frenatus, better known as parrotfish, COLOUR AND PROTECTION
is a tropical fish that inhabits the coral reefs Their scales are very shiny and capable of progressively
of the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic, the Pacific changing colour with age. During its youth it is white and
and the Red Sea, where it plays an impor- later it adopts different shades according to its sex. Females
tant role and finds protection from preda- are normally bicolour, yellow and green, while the range of
tors. However, their lives are currently in males is between blue, green, purple and pink.
danger in many of these habitats, due to
overfishing, increased water temperatures When they go to rest, they also surprise us with another
Sand pollution. It is a problem that affects great peculiarity. To protect themselves from nocturnal
a large number of species, but the case of the parrotfish is predators, they cover their bodies with transparent pyja-
very delicate since its work is of great service to all. They mas. It is a membrane –mucus– that allows parts of corals to
are in charge of keeping the coral reefs in balance and pro- adhere to their body, camouflaging it and preventing their
ducing much of the fine white sand of the beautiful tropical bodies from giving off odours that attract other predators.
beaches.
A VERY STRIKING CURIOSITY
WHITE SAND FACTORIES Parrotfish are very sociable and usually live in groups of
Parrotfish feed on dead coral –in many cases covered in al- about 40 individuals. They are protogynous hermaphro-
gae– keeping the reefs clean and in good condition. By eat- dites, that is, in the juvenile stage they develop only female
ing the algae, it also controls their excessive proliferation, sexual organs but when they mature, depending on the
preventing them from consuming the oxygen that the coral need, they can transform into male gonads. For example,
needs to survive. And as a result of their diet rich in dead there is always a male who acts as the head of the group –he
coral, parrotfish defecate large amounts of fine white sand is called a supermale– and when he dies or disappears, the
that outnumber that generated by any other process in na- dominant female becomes a male adopting the leading role.
ture. Not surprisingly, it is estimated that they can create
about 100 kilograms of sand a year and that they produce
90% of the white sand of tropical beaches.

To eat the coral parrotfish uses its powerful jaw and incred-
ible compact teeth, the ones that give it an almost human
smile allowing it to crush the coral. Some specimens can live
to be 20 years old and keep their teeth in perfect condition
until the end.

Regarding their size, the vast majority of specimens are
between 30 and 90 centimetres, but some parrotfish can
reach 120 centimetres and 45 kilograms in weight. This is
the case of the largest of the family: the parrotfish that live
in the area of India and the Pacific Sea.

MG MAGAZINE 40