Bumphead Parrotfish

Photo: Mark Rosenstein · CC BY-NC

Small aggregations of this impressive species visit the reef between November and March, feeding actively on the massive Porites corals that form the reef's structural backbone. They bite directly into living coral heads with their fused beak, ingesting the calcium carbonate skeleton and excreting fine white sand at a rate that can reach hundreds of kilograms per fish per year. Their presence on Gulf reefs is increasingly rare due to spearfishing pressure, making Mubarraz one of the last reliable Abu Dhabi sighting locations.