# Scarus fuscopurpureus

Scarus fuscopurpureus, common name purple-brown parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the class Actinopterygii. It is a parrotfish in the family Scaridae. It occurs in the western Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf. Countries in which boarder these waters include, but are not limited to Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

## Naming

Scarus fuscopurpureus was first formally described as Pseudoscarus forskalii fuscopurpureus in 1871 by the German physician and zoologist Carl Benjamin Klunzinger (1834-1914) with the type locality given as Al-Qusair, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt.

## Description

Scarus fuscopurpureus has been estimated that adults may typically range from 34 – 41 cm. Of the family Scarus, the typical lateral line count ranges from 17-18 +/-4 scales, with estimated 10 dorsal rays, 9 anal rays, and a variation of about 14-16 pectoral fin rays All species of this family possess small gill rakers but vary in quantity. An identifier of the species tends to be the quantity of pre-dorsal scales as well as the rows of scales on the cheek. Colors of these fishes depend on sexes and stage of growth.They vary from brown to green or blue, with one whitish vertical band and pale edged scales. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are deep brown and purple. Initial stages show light and purple brown bands, with reddish edges of scales and a truncate to emarginated caudal fin. The males of the terminal phase may have a yellow band below the soft dorsal and a yellow edged lunate tail. Females may present light grey lateral bars and darker coloration.

## Distribution and habitat

This reef-associated species inhabits shallow water, at a depth of 2–20 m, often over sand with coral heads and abundant vegetation. These fish reside near coral reef ecosystems approximately 2 to 3 meters from the waterbed

## Development/Reproduction

Scarus fuscopurpureus is oviparous and the male and female form pairs for spawning. They can be usually found in pairs or small groups. The age of sexual maturation in parrotfishes may vary from 1–3 years depending on the species, this includes the transformation of sexes from female to male in some parrotfishes Like many of the species of the family Scarus, the purple-brown parrotfish also exhibits physical variation based on life stage. Sexual dichromatism and varying juvenile presentation have often led to unconfirmed justification of species due to its similarity to others in the family

## Lifespan/Longevity

Like many fish, the otolith size, and shape play a crucial factor in determining the age of an individual of S. fuscopurpureus. In general, the suspected age range of parrotfish is predicted to be about 10–15 years depending on the species.

## Behavior

S. fuscopurpureus exhibits diel vertical patterns in which they utilize larger depths at night and remain in the shallow parts of the reef during the daytime. It has been observed that parrotfish utilize foraging activates to provide as a supplementary aid in their diet while maintaining a steady income of algae. The parrotfish itself is hyperaware of what it consumes and modifies its diet accordingly based on availability.

## Food Habits

S. fuscopurpureus, like other parrotfishes, use their strong jaws and teeth to rasp at algae on coral. Unfortunately, there is no known information whether the predation by the parrotfish species on coral negatively affects the distribution, growth, or survivorship of coral colonies Parrotfish often rely on algae and other flora in the water as well as zooplankton. Parrotfishes are considered herbivores.

## Predation

There are some fishes that choose to prey upon parrotfishes. Due to the habitat in which parrotfishes reside, sharks and eels are known to consume parrotfish in opportunistic instances due to the simultaneous occupation of coral reefs. To combat this, some species of parrotfish secrete a mucus-like substance from their mouths to encapsulate their bodies while sleeping, masking its own scent.

## Ecosystem Roles

Parrotfishes as a family have a unique role in their ecosystems, while they exhibit top-down behavior of algal communities, they are viewed as an important functional group in facilitating the recovery of coral reefs. Because the fish consume the algae on the reef's coral, parrotfish also consume the coral itself. After digestion, the fecal material is deposited back into the ocean and most of which contributes to the sediment production and transport of the habitat. However, the ecological processes exhibited by parrotfish do not pertain to the entire family; the exact roles depend heavily on the species, more specifically how they feed. Due to the size of S. fuscopurpureus, it is to be assumed that this fish contributes more heavily to the previous role due to being larger than others within the family

## Human usage/Economic Importance

Scarus fuscopurpureus was not found in surveys of fish markets in Oman. Although it is unknown if S. fuscopurpureus is a direct target of human consumption, other species are susceptible for capture and are eaten as a delicacy by humans. Throughout the years however, it has been encouraged to cease the consummation of these fishes due to their importance in the coral reef ecosystem. In other regions such as Hawaii, specific species of parrotfish possess immense demand and are highly valued by local fisheries, in fact they are often overpriced.

## Conservation Status

It is rather common and it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List meaning, this fish is not in danger of extinction at this time. These fishes can be found in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Persian Gulf (in Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Yemen, Israel, Jordan, Iran, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Sudan).