Scarus niger Forsskål, 1775

Zajonz, Uwe, Bogorodsky, Sergey V., Saeed, Fouad K. N., Aideed, Moteah S. & Lavergne, Edouard, 2023, Parrotfishes (Teleostei: Labridae: Scarini) of the Socotra Archipelago: Diversity and distributional biogeography, including a range extension of Scarus zufar Randall & Hoover, 1995, Zootaxa 5389 (3), pp. 301-330 : 314

Scarus niger Forsskål, 1775

Scarus niger Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775: 28; holotype: ZMUC P5951 ; type locality: Red Sea.

Swarthy Parrotfish

Figure 10

Material examined: Underwater photograph.

Distinctive characters: Body depth 2.2–2.5 in SL; dorsal profile of head of terminal males nearly straight; posterior nostril subequal to anterior nostril; teeth fully fused to form dental plates, about three-fourths covered by lips; cutting edge of upper dental plates smooth; upper dental plate with 2 conical teeth posteriorly in terminal males; caudal fin double emarginate in terminal males. Meristic values: Pectoral-fin rays 14; median predorsal scales 6–8; cheek with 3 scale rows, lower row with 2–5 scales.

Colouration: Initial phase brownish red, the scales crossed with dark brown irregular stripes. Terminal males dark green to red-green, the scale edges deep magenta, usually with two dark spots on scales anteriorly on body; caudal fin with green bar, a narrow blue posterior margin, and deep pink lobes. Both phases with green band on upper lip, two bands on chin, posterior continuing onto cheek, and a small yellowish green spot at origin of lateral line, linked by an irregular green band to edge of eye.

Distribution: Widespread from the Red Sea along eastern Africa south to South Africa, Mauritius, east to Tuamotu Archipelago. Known in the Arabian region from the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Socotra Archipelago, to southern Oman ( Randall & Bruce 1983; Randall 1995; Lips et al. 2016); a possible presence in central Oman to be confirmed.

Remarks: Observed individuals match the description of Scarus niger ( Randall & Bruce 1983; Randall 1995), supporting the record of Zajonz et al. (2019). Observed on Socotra Island in coral-dominated habitats at depths of 4–14 m; seen in all islands of the Archipelago but uncommon.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Scarus niger, terminal male, Qariah, Socotra Island, 4 m depth.