About Chlorurus spilurus (Valenciennes, 1840)
In Chlorurus spilurus, individuals in the initial phase of development may be either female or male. These initial-phase fish have a white beak, an overall dark reddish body coloration, a white caudal peduncle, and a caudal fin marked with a black patch. Terminal (fully mature) males of this species show extensive variation in coloration. Their bodies are greenish, with large scales outlined by purple-blue lines. They also have three purple-blue stripes around the mouth, plus one orange and one white patch on the cheek. Chlorurus spilurus is distributed across the Western and Central Pacific, ranging from Indonesia to Hawaii and Pitcairn Island. These parrotfish inhabit a variety of coral reefs and lagoons.
