Description:

Dorsal spines: 9; Dorsal soft rays: 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 9.

Small to medium-sized, moderately full-bodied parrotfish. Bluntly rounded head with terminal mouth. Dental plates largely exposed with less than half 
covered by lips. 0 to 2 small canine teeth on side of upper dental plate. 2 rows of cheek scales (upper with 6-8 scales, and the lower with 5-8). Caudal 
fin truncate to slightly rounded.

Initial phase: Small individuals may be uniformly dark brown to light grey. Larger individuals: body greyish-brown to dark brown often with two longitudinal 
rows of 5 or 6 whitish spots on flanks. A broad whitish area containing a large circular blackish spot may be present on caudal peduncle and base of caudal 
fin – catch monitoring in Seychelles have revealed only a pale roundish patch on the caudal fin without a black spot (pers obs). Head grey-brown, shading 
to light red ventrally and broadly on lips, with irregular brownish yellow spots and lines across interorbital and dorsal part of head posterior to eye. 
Cheek scales faintly edged in yellowish brown. Iris yellowish brown. Dental plates pale, becoming whitish on edges. Median and pelvic fins dark brown to 
reddish brown. Pectoral fins with pale membranes and dark brown rays, the dorsal rays and basal part of fin more heavily pigmented.

Terminal phase:  Body green, scales with anterior pink bar, except caudal peduncle and scaled basal part of caudal fin which are nearly solid light green. 
Abdomen pale pink with indistinct green stripes. Dorsal part of head green, usually with a very broad purple band on snout which narrows as it passes 
through lower part of eye; green bands radiate from the orbit. Cheek green, edge of upper lip salmon-pink, continuing as a narrow band posterior to corner 
of mouth; a green band on upper lip dorsally which joins with green of cheek. Chin pink with broad irregular transverse blue-green bands. Iris orange. 
Dental plates green, the edges narrowly whitish. Dorsal fin with a blue edge and broad green border, a broad middle longitudinal zone of pink and a basal 
band of green. Anal fin similar but green margin broader, the green basal band sometimes as a series of spots, and the pink band sometimes with a row of 
green spots. Caudal fin blue-green. Pectoral fins with blue-green rays except for a streak of orange to lavender-pink on third to fourth rays. Pelvic fins 
yellow-green with a blue lateral edge.
 

Size:

Maturity: Lm 15 cm. Range unknown. Max Length: 40 cm TL.
 

Habitat and Ecology:

Inhabits both coral rich and open pavement areas of reef flats and lagoon and seaward reefs (0-50 m depth). Juveniles among coral rubble of reef flats 
and lagoons. Juveniles recruit into sheltered reef environments including seagrass beds. Juveniles and initial phase fishes often in large groups which 
may migrate over great distances between feeding and sleeping grounds.  Feeds on benthic algae. Protogynous. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding.

Fishery Status:

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the fish trap fishery and is a regular component of the catch.
 

Notes:

 

 

References:

Choat, J.H. et al. (2012). Chlorurus sordidus. The IUCN Red List 2012: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T190715A17795228.en. (12/03/19).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2019). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/5556 (12/03/19).
Lieske, E. & Myers, R. (2002). Coral Reef Fishes. Indo-Pacific and Caribbean. Revised edition. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-08995-7
Randall, J.E. & Bruce, R.W. (1983). The Parrotfishes of the Subfamily Scarinae of the Western Indian Ocean with Descriptions of Three New species. 
Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology. Number 47 March1983 ISSN: 0073-4381

Citation:

Nevill, J.E.G. (2019). Chlorurus sordidus, Daisy parrotfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/chlorurus-sordidus-forsskal-1775/ (edited 14/08/22).