Queen Parrotfish

Photo: Luke B · © all rights reserved

Terminal-phase queen parrotfish are abundant across Cades Reef, their beak-like fused teeth audibly scraping coral skeleton as they feed on algae and endolithic organisms. Each individual can produce hundreds of kilograms of white carbonate sand annually, directly building the beaches Antigua is famous for. Supermale individuals establish feeding territories across the shallowest reef sections between 5 and 10 metres.