Pre-trip Blog: Parrotfish! by Mulki A.

In class today, we came together to share our short presentations on parrotfish. We had previously been working in small groups on researching a specific topic related to parrotfish– allowing us to sharpen our ability to read and understand scientific research papers as well as learn more about parrotfish, which we will see during our trip! Each group came together and combined the information they gained from their individual research to create a short presentation conveying the most important and interesting facts to the rest of the group.




Here are some of my favorite things we learned about:

  • Did you know that parrotfish cover themselves in a “sleeping bag” or a mucous envelope each night to protect them from predators?


  • Did you know that parrotfish feed using both grazing and excavation methods?


  • Did you know that parrotfish are able to change sexes throughout their life, which is reflected by their behaviors and appearance (color)?


  • Did you know that parrotfish act as bioeroders, playing a key role in maintaining balance in coral reef ecosystems?


  • Did you know that due to overfishing, parrotfish are being threatened around the globe, and even extinct in Guam?


All of these things that I learned from my classmates, and more, have given me an immense appreciation for parrotfish, and I can’t wait to see them this spring in French Polynesia!

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