Chlorurus frontalis

Chlorurus frontalis, also known as Pacific slopehead parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae.

Distribution

The main habitat of this species is in north to the Ryukyu Islands to the Line and Ducie islands and south to the Great Barrier Reef, Pacific Ocean.
This species is also found in Wake Island, Tonga, Tahiti, Solomon Island, Pitcairn Island, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Northern [Mariana Islands|Northern Marianas], Marshall Islands, Palau, New Caledonia, Micronesia, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Palau, Guam, Cook Island, Australia, American Samoa, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, Philippines, Palau, Coral Sea, Kuroshio Current, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, South [China Sea], Yellow Sea, and Tubbataha Reefs.

Description

Chlorurus frontalis has nine dorsal spines, ten dorsal soft rays, three anal spines and nine anal soft rays. Coloration changes slowly with growth. The light green patch on the caudal peduncle is present on individuals as small as and the distinctive tan facial markings are on most individuals above. Large males develop a near-vertical forehead profile and long lobes and a well-developed lunate caudal fin.

Biology

This species is often seen in small schools on exposed reef flats and seaward reefs. They feed on benthic algae.

Environment

It is a tropical, marine, reef-associated fish. This species is usually found 10m to 40m below sea level. Its ideal range is between 30°N to 25°S.

Reproduction

This species is monogamous and oviparous. They pair up distinctly during breeding.

Relationship with humans

This species is sometimes kept in aquariums. There have been reports of ciguatera poisoning after eating the fish.