Aspect: | All parrotfishes sport a strong elongated oval body boasting large scales, prominent mouth with bill-like frontal teeth (hence the name) with which they bite away at coral. |
Population: | Rare. |
Notable feature: |
Terminal (adult) phase seen here: generally dull green-grey body, but slightly more stubby snout than other parrotfishes. As latin designation suggests (rubripinne = red finned) fins should be red, but in fact only the pelvic and anal ones are - and yet in a very pale shade. The main identifying feature of the species remains its massive grey pale green livery with yellow-ish tail fin. |
Environment: | Swims around rocks and coral boulders from which it violently bites off algae and coral. |
Behaviour: | Can be slowly and quietly approached to about one metre. |