Fish
Bullethead Parrotfish
Scarus sordidus
Often the commonest parrotfish on a reef - a blunt-headed grazer that can flick its spots and tail markings on and off at will.
Also known as koeelkop- kersfees
- Typical size
- Attains about 40 cm
- Habitat
- Coral reef and rocky bottoms
The bullethead parrotfish starts life dark brown, reddening around the mouth, often with two rows of five or six whitish spots along the side and a pale bar enclosing a large black spot on the tail base - markings the fish can switch on and off in an instant. Terminal males turn green with salmon-pink scale edges. It grows to about 40 cm.
Ranging widely through the Indo-Pacific and south to Natal, it lives over both coral reef and rocky bottoms and is frequently the most common parrotfish on the reef.