parrotfish
Reef fish, beak-jawed
Parrotfish are brightly colored tropical fish with teeth fused into a beak-like structure resembling a parrot's bill.
They use these beaks to scrape algae from coral, grinding the coral into sand in the process—a single parrotfish can produce hundreds of pounds of sand annually.
We saw parrotfish on the reef.
Horny avian mouthpart
- teethEnamel-covered chewing structures
- fusedJoined by melting together
- pharyngealOf the throat cavity
- jawBone holding teeth
scales · mucus · cocoon · fins · gills · caudal · pectoral · dorsal
Primitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- coralMarine skeletal formation
- grazingFeeding on pasture
- herbivorousConsuming only plants
- scrapingRubbing away material
excavating · sand · sediment · substrate · detritus · coralline · foraging · browsing
Marine skeletal formation
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- lagoonSheltered coastal shallows
- atollRing-shaped reef island
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
biodiversity · habitat · symbiosis · polyps · bleaching · benthic · seagrass · marine
Showing shifting spectral colors
- vibrantFull of life, intensity
- turquoiseBlue-green opaque gemstone
- bluePrimary color; also sad
- greenColor of vegetation
pink · rainbow · hues · brilliant · vivid · pigmented · multicolored · dazzling
Thick-lipped marine fish
Sandy coastal areas
- erosionGradual wearing away
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- overfishingUnsustainable marine harvest
- keystoneArch's central locking stone
spawning · aggregation · nocturnal · sleeping · predation · moray · shark
Refracted light arc
- stoplightIntersection flow controller
- queenMost powerful chess piece
- princessMonarch's daughter or heir
- bluePrimary color; also sad
midnight · rusty · yellowtail · ember · spectacled
beak
Horny avian mouthpart
- teethEnamel-covered chewing structures
- fusedJoined by melting together
- pharyngealOf the throat cavity
jaw · scales · mucus · cocoon · fins · gills · caudal · pectoral · dorsal · mouth
algae
Primitive aquatic photosynthesizers
- coralMarine skeletal formation
- grazingFeeding on pasture
- herbivorousConsuming only plants
scraping · excavating · sand · sediment · substrate · detritus · coralline · foraging · browsing · digestion
coral
Marine skeletal formation
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- lagoonSheltered coastal shallows
- atollRing-shaped reef island
barrier · biodiversity · habitat · symbiosis · polyps · bleaching · benthic · seagrass · marine · tropical
iridescent
Showing shifting spectral colors
green · pink · rainbow · hues · brilliant · vivid · pigmented · multicolored · dazzling · phase
wrasse
Thick-lipped marine fish
beaches
Sandy coastal areas
- erosionGradual wearing away
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- overfishingUnsustainable marine harvest
keystone · spawning · aggregation · nocturnal · sleeping · predation · moray · shark
rainbow
Refracted light arc
- stoplightIntersection flow controller
- queenMost powerful chess piece
- princessMonarch's daughter or heir
blue · midnight · rusty · yellowtail · ember · spectacled
parrotfishparrot
Speech-mimicking tropical bird
anglerfish · songbird · deep-sea fish · macaw · icefish
parrotfishcoral
Marine skeletal formation
reef shark · barracuda · moray eel · shark · apex predator
parrotfishflounder
Struggle awkwardly, or seafood
sole · stonefish · scorpionfish · flatfish · bottom-dweller