bumphead parrotfish
Scarus perrico
Parrotfish with a tall, protruding forehead, which scrapes algae and corals on shallow reefs of the eastern Pacific. It is commercially caught and only occasionally takes a line.
Also called: peixe-papagaio-corcunda, loro jorobado, perico, bumphead parrotfish
- maximum
- 76 cm
- depth
- 3–36 m
who is the bumphead parrotfish
The hump-headed parrotfish belongs to the family Labridae and reaches 76 cm. Its popular name refers to the tall, protruding forehead, shaped like a hump. It lives in shallow coastal waters, in small groups on reefs, between 3 and 36 m deep, from the central Gulf of California to Peru, including the Galápagos. It feeds by scraping the bottom for calcareous red algae and, probably, coral polyps. It is caught only occasionally, for the fish trade and for aquariums, and is uncommon in line fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the bumphead parrotfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Besides being caught by anglers, the species is taken for the aquarium trade.
identification
Large, robust parrotfish, with a tall, protruding forehead shaped like a hump, the trait that gives the species its name. Like other parrotfishes, it has teeth fused into a strong beak, used to scrape algae and coral from the bottom. It lives in small groups on shallow reefs, between 3 and 36 m. In the eastern Pacific, the humped forehead is the main clue for recognizing it.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Occurs in the eastern Pacific of Latin America, from Mexico to Peru, including the Galápagos Islands, on shallow reefs.
Habitat: Shallow coral and stone reefs, between 3 and 36 m, in small groups.
rules for the bumphead parrotfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Harmless to anglers. As a large, heavy fish, hold it with both hands and release it carefully, without dropping it.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01122, b = 3.06; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Scarus perrico (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Scarus perricoNames by country and language.
