ID of some parrotfishes from Australia - 6 pics

[Mario-F]

Hello everybody,

my first post in this forum! I hope you can help me with some identifications.

I took these photos last year in the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia while I was snorkeling. The pics are mostly quite bad quality, but I dont have the best underwater camera

Here are my guesses for the IDs:
1 --> Scarus ghobban?
2 --> Scarus niger?
3 --> Scarus rivulatus?
4 --> Scarus scaber?
5 --> Scarus scaber?
6 --> Scarus scaber?

I dont have any books yet, but I´m always looking on fishbase.org for identifications.

So, what do you think about the IDs? Are they okay or are there different species?

Thanks in advance and best regards,
Mario

 

[Vie]

Here are my guesses for the IDs:
1 --> Scarus ghobban?
2 --> Scarus niger?
3 --> Scarus rivulatus?
4 --> Scarus scaber?
5 --> Scarus scaber?
6 --> Scarus scaber?

1 - Scarus ghobban - agree.

2 - I think it's a Scarus prasiognathos (initial phase). S. niger has "yellow to green spot or streak behind eye, dark bands around mouth" according to Allen, Steene, Humann & DeLoach.

3 - Scarus rivulatus - agree.

4 - Scarus scaber - most probably

5 - NOT Scarus scaber but I've no idea what it is...

6 - Scarus scaber - most probably but initial phase of Scarus oviceps can be quite similar so I'm really not sure...

 

[Mario-F]

Hi Vie,

thank you for your reply! That was a great help!

I have just one question: According to fishbase.org Scarus prasiognathos (your opinion to pic2) doesn´t occur in Western Australia! Is this species still possible? What do you mean?

Best regards,
Mario

 

[Vie]

I have just one question: According to fishbase.org Scarus prasiognathos (your opinion to pic2) doesn´t occur in Western Australia! Is this species still possible? What do you mean?

Good point - I hadn't looked at fishbase as for some reason ever so often it's very hard for me to access the site. Not S. prasiognathos then.

 

[Mario-F]

Thanks again for your reply, Vie!
I have the same problems with fishbase.org...in my experience you just have to be patient with this website

Best regards,
Mario