About Scarus rubroviolaceus Bleeker, 1847
This species, known as the ember parrotfish, is scientifically named Scarus rubroviolaceus Bleeker, 1847. It is sexually dimorphic: males have a bright greenish-blue color, while females are a duller brown. The ember parrotfish is widespread and abundant, found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its range includes Japan, eastern Africa, and the Hawaiian Islands. Its diet consists of aquatic plants and benthic algae, which it scrapes off rocks using its beak. Ember parrotfish exhibit sequential hermaphroditism, meaning they change sex at some point in their life. Juvenile ember parrotfish have undifferentiated sex. As they grow, they mature into reddish-brown females when they reach about 32 cm in body length at around 2.6 years old. They remain female for a considerable time, and when they grow further to 37 cm in body length at around 13 years old, they change sex into males. However, some individuals remain female throughout their lives. Ember parrotfish can live up to 20 years.
