Parrotfish are found on almost every coral reef in the world. This ubiquity and uniqueness of their feeding action make them one of the most important groups of fishes within coral reef ecosystems. But why, exactly, are parrotfish so important to reefs? Can the evolution of a particular jaw morphology and feeding action really have had such a large impact on the health and functioning of the world's coral reefs? This book introduces the reader to this fascinating group of fishes (Labridae, Scarinae), from the morphological innovation of a jaw that has the power to bite through solid calcium carbonate, to the threats currently faced by parrotfish populations around the world. It contains new insights into their diet and food processing ability, and lifehistories, and concludes with an overview of emerging and future research directions.
"The current book provides important information on biology and ecology of the parrotfishes using simple, fluent and illustrative language. In addition, it draws the attention of readers with its proper structure and appropriate graphs and tables. The review of the book's content showed that it can be a credible reference for examining the ecological role of the parrotfishes in coral reefs. Hence, we recommend the book as an interesting and authoritative reference for professionals in various fields such as biology, ecology, ichthyology and fisheries. It is hoped that this book can meet the needs of scholars, students, and teachers in advancing research projects."
- Ali Reza Radkhah and Soheil Eagderi, Ichthyological Research 67, 2020
- Ali Reza Radkhah and Soheil Eagderi, Ichthyological Research 67, 2020