The Mediterranean parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) is a species of parrotfish found at depths up to 50 m (160 ft) along rocky shores in the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic, from Portugal south to Senegal.[1][2][3] It is generally common, but uncommon or rare (locally even absent) in the northwestern Mediterranean and in the Adriatic Sea.[1][4] It prefers relatively warm temperatures and there is an ongoing northward range expansion, probably because of global warming.[5][6] The primary adult habitat is rocky reefs, especially in areas with macroalgae, but they may visit adjacent seagrass patches. Juveniles also occur more widely in the latter habitat.[7][8]
In parts of its range it is a commercially important food fish.[9] Although some populations have been affected by fishing pressure,[10] it is not considered threatened.[1] It has been studied in detail in parts of its range, including the Azores.[11][12]
It primarily breeds during the summer, from July to September,[2] but breeding can occur as early as May and late as December.[7] It is a diurnal fish, but spawning is around dawn or dusk and can occur in pairs or groups.[11][16] The pelagic eggs hatch into free-swimming larvae. The pelagic stage for the eggs and larvae is 50–60 days in Sparisoma parrotfish, after which they settle on rocky reefs and among seagrass.[17]
AppearanceEdit
As its relatives, this parrotfish starts as female and then changes to male (known as the terminal phase). However, unlike most of its relatives, it is a secondary gonochorist. This means that some females do not change sex (they remain females throughout their lives), the ones that do change from female to male do it while still immature (reproductively functioning females do not change to males) and there are no males with female-like colours (known as initial phase males in other parrotfish).[11][16][18]
Juveniles less than 7 cm (3 in) long are mottled with a yellowish head and have undifferentiated gonads (not male or female). Immatures that are 7–12 cm (3–5 in) long are mottled brownish and have immature female gonads (ovaries).[16] If stressed, they adopt a pattern with broad horizontal white stripes.[5] At larger sizes, the adult colours appear and the male or female gonads are mature.[16] The adult females are red with a yellow-edged greyish saddle shape on the back and a yellow spot at the base of the tail. The males are overall greyish with paler underparts and no distinctive markings, although typically with blackish bars on the throat and opercular.[16][19][20] Adults reach a maximum length of about 52 cm (20 in),[21] but most are 15–30 cm (6–12 in) long.[4][20] There is an almost complete overlap in the sizes of the adult females and adult males, although the former are on average smaller than the latter.[11][21]
Human usageEdit
Sparisoma cretense is a quarry of spearfishers in the Canary Islands. In other parts of its range it is caught and sold as bycatch.[1]
Juvenile
Immature
Several males and females on sale at a fish market in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
ReferencesEdit
^ abcdePollard, D.; Yokes, B.; Francour, P.; Rocha, L.A.; Choat, J.H.; Clements, K.D.; Russell, B.; Myers, R.; Lazuardi, M.E.; Muljadi, A.; Pardede, S.; Rahardjo, P. (2012). "Sparisoma cretense". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T190710A17796845. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T190710A17796845.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^ abcFroese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Sparisoma cretense" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
^Otero & Galeote (1996). Présence de Sparisoma cretense (L.) À Cadix (Sud-Quest de la Péninsule Ibérique). Cybium 20(4): 405-408.
^ abDulcic & Pallaoro (2001). Some new data on Xyrichthys novacula (Linnaeus, 1758) and Sparisoma (Euscarus) cretense (Linnaeus, 1758) from the eastern Adriatic. Annales 1: 35-42.
^ abAstruch, Bonhomme, Goujard, Rouanet, Boudouresque, Harmelin & Harmelin-Vivien (2016). Provence and Mediterranean warning: The parrotfish Sparisoma cretense is coming. Rapp. Comm. int. Mer Médit. 41: 362.
^Bianchi, Caroli, Guidetti & Morri (2018). Seawater warming at the northern reach for southern species: Gulf of Genoa, NW Mediterranean. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 98(Special Issue 1): 1–2. doi:10.1017/S0025315417000819
^ abEspino, González, Haroun & Tuya (2015). Abundance and biomass of the parrotfish Sparisoma cretense in seagrass meadows: temporal and spatial differences between seagrass interiors and seagrass adjacent to reefs. Environ Biol Fish 98: 121–133. doi:10.1007/s10641-014-0241-z
^ abKalogirou, Corsini-Foka, Sioulas, Wennhage & Pihl (2010). Diversity, structure and function of fish assemblages associated with Posidonia oceanica beds in an area of the eastern Mediterranean Sea and the role of non-indigenous species. J Fish Biol. 77(10): 2338-2357. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02817.x
^Cardigos, F. (2001). Vejas. Revista Mundo Submerso 58(V): 48-51.
^Tuyaa, Ortega-Borgesa, Sanchez-Jerezb & Haroun (2006). Effect of fishing pressure on the spatio-temporal variability of the parrotfish, Sparisoma cretense (Pisces: Scaridae), across the Canarian Archipelago (eastern Atlantic). Fisheries Research 77(1): 24-33. doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2005.07.017
^ abcdAfonsoa, Moratoa & Santos (2008). Spatial patterns in reproductive traits of the temperate parrotfish Sparisoma cretense. Fisheries Research 90(1-3): 92-99. doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2007.09.029
^Projecto BARCA (Project Boat) - A project at Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas da Universidade dos Açores (Department of Oceanography and Fishery) at the University of the Azores (Universidade dos Açores) and studies of traditional fisheries.
^Papoutsoglou & Lyndon (2003). Distribution of α-amylase along the alimentary tract of two Mediterranean fish species, the parrotfish Sparisoma cretense L. and the stargazer, Uranoscopus scaber L.. Mediterranean Marine Science 4(2): 115-124. doi:10.12681/mms.234
^Monod, Hureau & Bullock (1994). Ostéologie céphalique de deux poissons perroquets (Scaridae: Teleostei). Cybium 18(2): 135-168.
^Bullock, & Monod (1997). Myologie céphalique de deux poissons perroquets (Teleostei: Scaridae). Cybium 21(2): 173-199.
^ abcdede Girolamo, Scaggiante & Rasotto (1999). Social organization and sexual pattern in the Mediterranean parrotfish Sparisoma cretense (Teleostei: Scaridae). Marine Biology 135(2): 353-360. doi:10.1007/s002270050634
^Domingues, Alexandrou, Almada, Robertson, Brito, Santos & Bernardi (2008). Tropical fishes in a temperate sea: evolution of the wrasse Thalassoma pavo and the parrotfish Sparisoma cretensein the Mediterranean and the adjacent Macaronesian and Cape Verde Archipelagos. Mar Biol 154: 465–474. doi:10.1007/s00227-008-0941-z
^Sadovy & Shapiro (1987). Criteria for the diagnosis of hermaphroditism in fishes. Copeia 1987(1): 136–156. doi:10.2307/1446046
^Debelius, H. (1997). Mediterranean and Atlantic Fish Guide: From Spain to Turkey - From Norway to South Africa, p. 221. ConchBooks. ISBN978-3925919541.
^ abSparisoma cretense. Observadores del Mar, Mediterranean Fishes. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
^ abMorato, T., P. Afonso, P. Lourinho, J.P. Barreiros, R.S. Santos & R.D.M. Nash 2001. Length-weight relationships for 21 coastal fish species of the Azores, north-eastern Atlantic. Fisheries Research, 50: 297-302. doi:10.1016/S0165-7836(00)00215-0
Further readingEdit
Projecto CLIPE – Efeitos climáticos na ecologia de peixes litorais [Climate effect on the ecology of coastal fishes].
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sparisoma cretense.
External linksEdit
Photos of Sparisoma cretense on Sealife Collection
October 15, 2023
sparisoma, cretense, mediterranean, parrotfish, species, parrotfish, found, depths, along, rocky, shores, mediterranean, eastern, atlantic, from, portugal, south, senegal, generally, common, uncommon, rare, locally, even, absent, northwestern, mediterranean, a. The Mediterranean parrotfish Sparisoma cretense is a species of parrotfish found at depths up to 50 m 160 ft along rocky shores in the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic from Portugal south to Senegal 1 2 3 It is generally common but uncommon or rare locally even absent in the northwestern Mediterranean and in the Adriatic Sea 1 4 It prefers relatively warm temperatures and there is an ongoing northward range expansion probably because of global warming 5 6 The primary adult habitat is rocky reefs especially in areas with macroalgae but they may visit adjacent seagrass patches Juveniles also occur more widely in the latter habitat 7 8 Sparisoma cretenseAdult Male Faial AzoresAdult Female El Hierro Canary IslandsConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ActinopterygiiOrder LabriformesFamily ScaridaeGenus SparisomaSpecies S cretenseBinomial nameSparisoma cretense Linnaeus 1758 Synonyms 2 Labrus cretensis Linnaeus 1758 Euscarus cretensis Linnaeus 1758 Scarus cretensis Linnaeus 1758 Sparidosoma cretense Linnaeus 1758 Sparisoma cretensis Linnaeus 1758 Scarus mutabilis Lowe 1838 Scarus canariensis Valenciennes 1838 Scarus rubiginosus Valenciennes 1840 Calliodon rubiginosus Valenciennes 1840 Scarus siculus Cocco 1846 Scarus rubiginoides Guichenot 1865In parts of its range it is a commercially important food fish 9 Although some populations have been affected by fishing pressure 10 it is not considered threatened 1 It has been studied in detail in parts of its range including the Azores 11 12 Contents 1 Behavior 2 Appearance 3 Human usage 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksBehavior EditThe Mediterranean parrotfish feeds primarily on epilithic and coralline algae but may also take epiphytic algae growing on seagrass and small invertebrates 8 13 The jaws and dentition are specially adapted to this feeding 14 15 It primarily breeds during the summer from July to September 2 but breeding can occur as early as May and late as December 7 It is a diurnal fish but spawning is around dawn or dusk and can occur in pairs or groups 11 16 The pelagic eggs hatch into free swimming larvae The pelagic stage for the eggs and larvae is 50 60 days in Sparisoma parrotfish after which they settle on rocky reefs and among seagrass 17 Appearance EditAs its relatives this parrotfish starts as female and then changes to male known as the terminal phase However unlike most of its relatives it is a secondary gonochorist This means that some females do not change sex they remain females throughout their lives the ones that do change from female to male do it while still immature reproductively functioning females do not change to males and there are no males with female like colours known as initial phase males in other parrotfish 11 16 18 Juveniles less than 7 cm 3 in long are mottled with a yellowish head and have undifferentiated gonads not male or female Immatures that are 7 12 cm 3 5 in long are mottled brownish and have immature female gonads ovaries 16 If stressed they adopt a pattern with broad horizontal white stripes 5 At larger sizes the adult colours appear and the male or female gonads are mature 16 The adult females are red with a yellow edged greyish saddle shape on the back and a yellow spot at the base of the tail The males are overall greyish with paler underparts and no distinctive markings although typically with blackish bars on the throat and opercular 16 19 20 Adults reach a maximum length of about 52 cm 20 in 21 but most are 15 30 cm 6 12 in long 4 20 There is an almost complete overlap in the sizes of the adult females and adult males although the former are on average smaller than the latter 11 21 Human usage EditSparisoma cretense is a quarry of spearfishers in the Canary Islands In other parts of its range it is caught and sold as bycatch 1 nbsp Juvenile nbsp Immature nbsp Several males and females on sale at a fish market in Playa Blanca Lanzarote Canary Islands SpainReferences Edit a b c d e Pollard D Yokes B Francour P Rocha L A Choat J H Clements K D Russell B Myers R Lazuardi M E Muljadi A Pardede S Rahardjo P 2012 Sparisoma cretense IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012 e T190710A17796845 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2012 RLTS T190710A17796845 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 a b c Froese Rainer Pauly Daniel eds 2019 Sparisoma cretense in FishBase December 2019 version Otero amp Galeote 1996 Presence de Sparisoma cretense L A Cadix Sud Quest de la Peninsule Iberique Cybium 20 4 405 408 a b Dulcic amp Pallaoro 2001 Some new data on Xyrichthys novacula Linnaeus 1758 and Sparisoma Euscarus cretense Linnaeus 1758 from the eastern Adriatic Annales 1 35 42 a b Astruch Bonhomme Goujard Rouanet Boudouresque Harmelin amp Harmelin Vivien 2016 Provence and Mediterranean warning The parrotfish Sparisoma cretense is coming Rapp Comm int Mer Medit 41 362 Bianchi Caroli Guidetti amp Morri 2018 Seawater warming at the northern reach for southern species Gulf of Genoa NW Mediterranean Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 98 Special Issue 1 1 2 doi 10 1017 S0025315417000819 a b Espino Gonzalez Haroun amp Tuya 2015 Abundance and biomass of the parrotfish Sparisoma cretense in seagrass meadows temporal and spatial differences between seagrass interiors and seagrass adjacent to reefs Environ Biol Fish 98 121 133 doi 10 1007 s10641 014 0241 z a b Kalogirou Corsini Foka Sioulas Wennhage amp Pihl 2010 Diversity structure and function of fish assemblages associated with Posidonia oceanica beds in an area of the eastern Mediterranean Sea and the role of non indigenous species J Fish Biol 77 10 2338 2357 doi 10 1111 j 1095 8649 2010 02817 x Cardigos F 2001 Vejas Revista Mundo Submerso 58 V 48 51 Tuyaa Ortega Borgesa Sanchez Jerezb amp Haroun 2006 Effect of fishing pressure on the spatio temporal variability of the parrotfish Sparisoma cretense Pisces Scaridae across the Canarian Archipelago eastern Atlantic Fisheries Research 77 1 24 33 doi 10 1016 j fishres 2005 07 017 a b c d Afonsoa Moratoa amp Santos 2008 Spatial patterns in reproductive traits of the temperate parrotfish Sparisoma cretense Fisheries Research 90 1 3 92 99 doi 10 1016 j fishres 2007 09 029 Projecto BARCA Project Boat A project at Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas da Universidade dos Acores Department of Oceanography and Fishery at the University of the Azores Universidade dos Acores and studies of traditional fisheries Papoutsoglou amp Lyndon 2003 Distribution of a amylase along the alimentary tract of two Mediterranean fish species the parrotfish Sparisoma cretense L and the stargazer Uranoscopus scaber L Mediterranean Marine Science 4 2 115 124 doi 10 12681 mms 234 Monod Hureau amp Bullock 1994 Osteologie cephalique de deux poissons perroquets Scaridae Teleostei Cybium 18 2 135 168 Bullock amp Monod 1997 Myologie cephalique de deux poissons perroquets Teleostei Scaridae Cybium 21 2 173 199 a b c d e de Girolamo Scaggiante amp Rasotto 1999 Social organization and sexual pattern in the Mediterranean parrotfish Sparisoma cretense Teleostei Scaridae Marine Biology 135 2 353 360 doi 10 1007 s002270050634 Domingues Alexandrou Almada Robertson Brito Santos amp Bernardi 2008 Tropical fishes in a temperate sea evolution of the wrasse Thalassoma pavo and the parrotfish Sparisoma cretensein the Mediterranean and the adjacent Macaronesian and Cape Verde Archipelagos Mar Biol 154 465 474 doi 10 1007 s00227 008 0941 z Sadovy amp Shapiro 1987 Criteria for the diagnosis of hermaphroditism in fishes Copeia 1987 1 136 156 doi 10 2307 1446046 Debelius H 1997 Mediterranean and Atlantic Fish Guide From Spain to Turkey From Norway to South Africa p 221 ConchBooks ISBN 978 3925919541 a b Sparisoma cretense Observadores del Mar Mediterranean Fishes Retrieved 11 March 2018 a b Morato T P Afonso P Lourinho J P Barreiros R S Santos amp R D M Nash 2001 Length weight relationships for 21 coastal fish species of the Azores north eastern Atlantic Fisheries Research 50 297 302 doi 10 1016 S0165 7836 00 00215 0Further reading EditProjecto CLIPE Efeitos climaticos na ecologia de peixes litorais Climate effect on the ecology of coastal fishes nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sparisoma cretense External links EditPhotos of Sparisoma cretense on Sealife Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sparisoma cretense amp oldid 1173853968, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
