Our March Fish of the Month is the Barberfish, Johnrandallia nigrirostris!
Survey Regions: Barberfish are abundant throughout the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) survey region, from the Gulf of California and Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America, to the coast of Ecuador and offshore oceanic islands such as the Revillagigedo Islands and Galapagos Islands. Click here to view the REEF database report for this species in the TEP survey region.
Size: They grow to a maximum length of 6 in. or about 15 cm.
Identifying Features: Barberfish have a silvery head and silver to yellow body. They have a black ring around their mouth and each eye, and a black bar running from the middle of their dorsal fin to the base of their tail.
Fun Facts: Barberfish are members of the Butterflyfish family. They are active during the day and feed on algae, mollusks, and crustaceans. Barberfish live in rocky, boulder-strewn areas and can often be seen in large schools. They also play an important role as a cleaner species, and occupy cleaning stations where they remove parasites from other fish.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photos by Janna Nichols.