Scarus falcipinnis (Playfair, 1868)

Pseudoscarus falcipinnis Playfair, 1868: 865; holotype: BMNH 1867.8.16.69; type locality: Seychelles.

Sicklefin parrotfish

Figure 5

Material examined: Underwater photographs.

Distinctive characters: Body depth 2.1–2.5 in SL; dorsal profile of head of terminal males nearly straight from before eye to dorsal fin; posterior nostril subequal to anterior nostril; teeth fully fused to form dental plates, one-half to three-fourth covered by lips; cutting edge of dental plates almost smooth; upper dental plate with 1–2 conical teeth posteriorly in terminal males; caudal fin emarginate with prolonged lobes in terminal males. Meristic values: Pectoral-fin rays 15–16; median predorsal scales 6, the fourth scale largest; cheek with 3 scale rows, lower row with 1–3 scales.

Colouration: Initial phase dark olive-grey, the scale edges dark brown, grading to reddish ventrally and head, with many scattered small whitish spots on body; dental plates white. Terminal males dull blue-green, the scale edges narrowly salmon pink, with a blue-green zone ventrally on body and a broad zone on head which bifurcating at corner of mouth; spinous portion of dorsal fin with yellow membranes; caudal fin blue with a submarginal salmon-pink band in each lobe.

Distribution: South-eastern Arabia south to Mozambique, Madagascar, and east to Chagos Archipelago. Known in the Arabian region from the eastern Gulf of Aden, Socotra Island and southern Oman; a possible presence in central Oman to be confirmed.

Remarks: Observed individuals match the description of Scarus falcipinnis (Randall & Bruce 1983; Randall 1995), supporting the cautious record of Zajonz et al. (2019), who listed it as S. cf. falcipinnis in Annex 2 (ODUs). Individuals on Socotra Archipelago were observed in coral-dominated habitats usually feeding on exposed corals at 2–12 m depths. Despite its occurrence in several localities, it is a rare species.