Marine ecosystems are intricate environments where organisms interact with their environment and where each living being has a purpose. Have you ever wondered how sand is formed? It could be thought that it is the result of the accumulation of sediment, but the reality is that there is an animal in charge of its production: the parrotfish (family Scaridae). If you want to know how parrotfish produce sand, keep reading this EcologíaVerde article where you will learn all about what are the characteristics of parrotfish, habitat and feeding. a
Parrotfish Characteristics
The parrot fish, also called parrot fish, belongs to the Scaridae family under which there are about 90 speciesbut they all have some characteristics in common that we present below.
- The majority measures between 20 to 50 centimeters: although there are a few species that measure 1.5 meters, and others that barely reach 10 centimeters.
- They live about 7 years.
- They have very bright colors: They range from blue, green, yellow and red. It is related to its life cycle, as we will see later.
- When they get ready to sleep at night, are encased in a mucus covering: they do it to prevent their predators from perceiving it. They usually sleep in the same place and at a shallow depth, making them easy prey for fishing.
Is parrotfish edible?
the parrot fish has been consumed for a long time because, like other fish, it is a source of Omega 3. Some people consume it raw and others do it already cooked. In Polynesia it was a food intended only for royalty. Currently it is still considered a gourmet food. Other places where it is consumed are Egypt and Australia.
However, it can be dangerous to consume for a toxic substance called ciguatoxin, causing ciguatera. Doing so can cause paralysis and muscle pain. Secondly, it is not ethical to consume it due to its ecosystem importance:
- For the manufacture of substrate.
- For the maintenance of stony corals.
parrotfish habitat
It is typical of the warm waters of coral reefs distributed in the tropics, but can also move over rocky bottoms or seagrass beds. This association with corals is of great importance with their way of feeding.
We tell you what a coral reef is in this EcologíaVerde post.
Parrotfish feeding
parrot fish they feed on algae arranged in corals or rocks. In order to detach them, they gnaw the surface. They do this with a “beak” made up of several teeth, hence their name parrotfish. To this type of food it is called browser and the mechanism is known as bioerosion.
They ingest the algae together with the coral, which they crush with the help of plates located inside the pharynx. But they are not capable of processing the latter due to the hardness of its composition based on calcium carbonate. Now, what does the parrotfish have to do with the production of sand? The coral it will be digested and defecated and this feces is nothing less than the sand we know.
It is estimated that a single parrotfish can produce 900 kilos of sand a year. In the Maldives, for example, they are responsible for 85% of new sand production. They spend approximately 90% of their time eating, which means that their feeding is practically constant.
We tell you what fish eat algae in this article that we suggest.
Parrot fish reproduction
the parrot fish is a sequential hermaphroditethat is, it alternates its male and female organs, identifiable by the change in their colors, the female being colorful and the male gray.
They are usually distributed in harems of several females and one male. the eggs are buoyant and are part of the plankton. Also, once they grow, they gather in groups.
Importance of parrotfish
The importance of parrotfish lies in its cleaning and maintenance function on corals, eliminating the excess algae that grows on them and keeping them healthy. The process also helps expose areas of the corals to which new coral polyps can settle.
In the South Pacific Ocean there is suffocation of corals by algae, because there is overfishing of parrotfish. Indirectly, parrotfish are essential for the conservation of corals that are so much in danger today.
On the other hand, they are also vital for sand formation, essential substrate for the seabed. The erosion of the beaches is constant, and it is necessary that at the same time there is a production of sand.
Although it is in the “Least Concern” category, there are initiatives to protect parrotfishsuch as Pass on Parrotfish by The Nature Conservancy, where they seek to raise awareness in the Caribbean about the importance of parrotfish in coral ecosystems.
Some countries have even taken measures to prevent parrotfish fishing, such as Belize that created a regulatory law to prohibit it. Man is the number one hunter of parrotfish. If you want to contribute to the conservation of parrotfish on a personal level, it is recommended not to consume its meatas well as making others aware of the importance of parrotfish.
If you want to read more articles similar to Parrotfish: characteristics, habitat and feedingwe recommend that you enter our Wild Animals category.
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