scubaseason

Queen Parrotfish

Scarus vetula

Sighting evidence at Trunk Bay, US Virgin Islands

Supermale queen parrotfish are a centrepiece species at Trunk Bay, their turquoise and salmon colouration a vivid contrast against bleached sand. They continually bite coral rock with fused beak-like teeth, processing calcium carbonate into the white sand that defines the bay's famous shoreline. A single large male may produce hundreds of kilograms of sand annually, making them keystone engineers of the reef habitat.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Queen Parrotfish is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites