Parrotfish (Stoplight)

Photo: Drew · CC BY-NC

Stoplight parrotfish are critical to the reef's health at Trumpet Reef, constantly grazing on algae and dead coral with their beak-like teeth and producing the fine white sand that carpets the surrounding flats. Larger terminal-phase males display brilliant green, red, and blue coloration, and their crunching can be heard clearly underwater. Their bioerosion and feeding behavior help maintain the open, branching coral structure that characterizes healthy Caribbean reefs.