Should be an easy ID

[bmaber]

Hi Gang;
I saw this fish in Cuba, anyone know what it is? I think they are very common in the Carib. I am sure someone should know it right away

Thanks
Blaine

 

[Diver0001]

It's some kind of parrot fish.

R..

 

[HowardE]

Stoplight Parrotfish

 

[DennisW]

Stoplight Parrotfish - Initial Phase

 

[wreckchick]

female stoplight parrotfish

at least that coloration is listed as female even though it really means juvenile or intial phase

Rachel

 

[Diver0001]

Man, you guys are good at this.

R..

 

[bmaber]

Yes I agree, you guys rock,
Thanks, I'll put it in my log book!

 

[sea_dragon]

yeah they do rock... i believe it is a stoplight parrot fish

 

[H2Andy]

yup.... stoptlight parrotfish, initial phase

the initial phase includes sexually mature females and immature and mature males,
so that particular fish could be male or female

(basically, the juvenile and initial phases contain both male and female;
the terminal phase are all males, or "super" males)

 

[wreckchick]

Actually, and I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong...

I believe parrotfish are "sequential transexuals", or some other fancy sounding word like that, where they are all female to start and only some turn into males as needed to sustain the population. The males would then become colored in the greens and pinks we're used to seeing.

Rachel