Sparisoma chrysopterum
Sparisoma chrysopterum (common names: redtail parrotfish, blue parrotfish, kwab, pink kwab, pink parrot, blisterside, and blue black-finned chub) is a species of parrotfish. Description. The upper end of the pectoral fin base shows black saddle-shaped markings while they are young adults. Commonly, there is a light, saddle-shaped area on top of caudal peduncle. The dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins are orange or red in colour. Juvenile specimens or those in the initial phase have a mottled pattern similar to the substratum. This provides camouflage when they rest on the sea floor. Distribution. This species lives  in the western Atlantic Ocean from Brazil in the south, north to Florida and the Bahamas. It also occurs throughout the Caribbean Sea. Diet. "Sparisoma chrysopterum" This species grazes on seagrasses and algae growing in the benthic zone. Parasites. This species is known to host an ectoparasite in the genus "Caligus" named "Caligus atromaculatus" (C.B. Wilson, 1913). Species description and taxonomy. "Sparisoma chrysopterum" was first described as "Scarus chrysopterus" in 1801 by the German naturalists Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723-1799) and Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider (1750-1822) with the type locality given as "tropical western Atlantic". When William John Swainson  described the genus "Sparisoma" in 1839 he designated "Sparus abildgaardi" as its type species, Although the specific name "abildgaardi" would appear to have precedence over "chrysopterum", the latter is the more widely used name and the former was long mistakenly thought to be synonymous with "Sparisoma viride". The name "Sparus abildgaardi" was suppressed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature and "Scarus chrysopterus" was recognised as the type species.