Scarus iseri (Bloch 1789)

Scarus croicensis Bloch

Scarus croicensis Bloch, 1790, p. 27, pl. 221.—Schultz, 1958, p. 106, pls. 21C, 27C.—Winn and Bardach, 1959, p. 296.—Randall, 1963, pp. 228–230, fig. 1, pl. 2A, B.—Randall and Randall, 1963, pp. 53–54—Caldwell, 1963, p. 7 [Costa Rica].—Cervigon, 1966, p. 633, fig. 273.—Stark and Davis, 1966, p. 338 [night habits].

Scarus alternans Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1839, p. 200.—Bauchot and Guibè, 1960, p. 291 [syntypes nos. 2468 and 2469 in the Paris Museum].

Scarus punctulatus Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1839, p. 195.—Bauchot and Guibè, 1960, p. 296 [holotype no. 2466 in Paris Museum].

Characterized by having 6 to 8 median predorsal scales; 3 rows of scales on cheek and usually 2 or 3 in ventral row; 5 to 7 (usually 6) scales in the dorsal row on cheek; ii,12, rarely ii,11 or ii,13, pectoral rays; lips almost covering white teeth.

Females and small males characterized by having distinct light and dark stripes on upper half of body; caudal fin uniform whitish to light dusky without any dark on upper and lower edges of caudal fin; upper pale streak on body not extending to eye but ending slightly above and behind eye.

Adult male: Snout yellowish; underside of head pink; area over pectoral pink, with streak extending forward on head above orbit; caudal fin with upper and lower edges blue, center of fin with alternating yellow and blue streaks parallel with rays; edges of dorsal and anal fins blue, center yellow with blue markings. Bright yellow spot just above pectoral base.

RANGE.—Central and western Atlantic Ocean.