Habitat: Marine, reef-associated. Young commonly found in seagrass beds and other vegetated bottoms. Natural History Notes: Non territorial, solitary on in small groups. Herbivore, feeds on soft algae growing on dead corals, rocks and pebbles as well as on live coral, which produces a significant amount of sediment through bioerosion. Protogynous, strictly diurnal. Spends the night sleeping on the bottom. Depth: 3 - 49m Characteristics: Mature males : two bright yellow markings, a small round spot at the upper end of the opercle and a bar at the base of the caudal fin. Mature females (originaly described as red parrotfish, S. abildgaardi) have each of the body scales conspicuously set off by dark margins, certain ones distinctly lighter than the others. Edge of the opercular flap dark and white bar at the base of caudal fin. Youngs : checkerboard of white dots on the body, broad white bar at the caudal fin base.