{{Short description|Species of ray-finned fishes}} {{Speciesbox | image = Chlorurus frontalis, Rarotonga, Cook Islands imported from iNaturalist photo 13198783 (cropped).jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Choat, J.H. |author2=Carpenter, K.E. |author3=Clements, K.D. |author4=Rocha, L.A. |author5=Russell, B. |author6=Myers, R. |author7=Lazuardi, M.E. |author8=Muljadi, A. |author9=Pardede, S. |author10=Rahardjo, P. |year=2012 |title=''Chlorurus frontalis'' |volume=2012 |article-number=e.T190762A17775510 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T190762A17775510.en |access-date=30 January 2025}}</ref> | genus = Chlorurus | species = frontalis | authority = (Valenciennes, 1840) | synonyms = {{Species list | Scarus frontalis|Valenciennes, 1840 }} }}
'''''Chlorurus frontalis''''', also known as '''Pacific slopehead parrotfish''', is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish from the family Scaridae.<ref name="fishbase-main">{{FishBase |Chlorurus|frontalis|id=5547 |month=January|year=2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite WoRMS |author=Bailly, Nicolas |year=2008 |title= ''Chlorurus frontalis'' (Valenciennes, 1840) |id=277506 |access-date=2025-01-24}}</ref>
== Distribution == [[File:Chlorurus frontalis, Cook Islands imported from iNaturalist photo 190588119.jpg|left|thumb|At the Cook Islands]] The main habitat of this species is in north to the Ryukyu Islands to the Line and Ducie islands and south to the Great Barrier Reef, Pacific Ocean.<ref name="fishbase-main"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Lieske, E. and R. Myers, 1994 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=9710 |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref>
This species is also found in Wake Island,<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Myers, R.F., 1999 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=37816&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Tonga,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Randall, J.E., J.T. Williams, D.G. Smith, M. Kulbicki, G.M. Tham, P. Labrosse, M. Kronen, E. Clua and B.S. Mann, 2003 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=53797&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Tahiti,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Randall, J.E., 1997 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=28618&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Solomon Island, Pitcairn Island,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Friedlander, A.M., J.E. Caselle, E. Ballesteros, E.K. Brown, A. Turchik and E. Sala, 2014 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=121505&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Samoa,<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Wass, R.C., 1984 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=592&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Papua New Guinea,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdmann, 2012 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=90102&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Northern Marianas,<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Myers, R.F., 1991 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=1602&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Marshall Islands,<ref name="auto4"/> Palau,<ref name="auto3"/> New Caledonia,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Kulbicki, M., J.E. Randall and J. Rivaton, 1994 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=11897&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Micronesia,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Smith, A. and P. Dalzell, 1993 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=3807&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> French Polynesia,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Bacchet, P., T. Zysman and Y. Lefèvre, 2006 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=89972&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Kiribati,<ref name="auto4"/> Palau,<ref name="auto3"/> Guam,<ref name="auto4"/> Cook Island,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - McCormack, G., 2000 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=34027&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Australia,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Hoese, D.F., D.J. Bray, J.R. Paxton and G.R. Allen, 2006 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=75154&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> American Samoa,<ref name="auto2"/> Taiwan,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Shao, K.-T., S.-C. Shen, T.-S. Chiu and C.-S. Tzeng, 1992 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=4868&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Vietnam,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Nguyen, N.T. and V.Q. Nguyen, 2006 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=58534&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Japan,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Masuda, H., K. Amaoka, C. Araga, T. Uyeno and T. Yoshino, 1984 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=559&speccode=5547 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Philippines,<ref name="auto4"/> Palau,<ref name="auto3"/> Coral Sea,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Myers, R.F., 1991 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=1602 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Kuroshio Current,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Masuda, H., K. Amaoka, C. Araga, T. Uyeno and T. Yoshino, 1984 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=559 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Dantis, A.L. and P.M. Aliño (comps.), 2002 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=45419 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> South China Sea,<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Shao, K.-T., S.-C. Shen, T.-S. Chiu and C.-S. Tzeng, 1992 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=4868 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> Yellow Sea,<ref name="auto1"/> and Tubbataha Reefs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Songco, A., 2019 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=121724 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Country List - ''Chlorurus frontalis'' |url=https://fishbase.se/country/CountryList.php?ID=5547&GenusName=Chlorurus&SpeciesName=frontalis |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref>
== Description == ''Chlorurus frontalis'' has nine dorsal spines, ten dorsal soft rays, three anal spines and nine anal soft rays. Coloration changes slowly with growth. The light green patch on the caudal peduncle is present on individuals as small as {{cvt|15|cm}} and the distinctive tan facial markings are on most individuals above {{cvt|20|cm}}. Large males develop a near-vertical forehead profile and long lobes and a well-developed lunate caudal fin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Myers, R.F., 1991 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=1602 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Morphology Summary - ''Chlorurus frontalis'' |url=https://fishbase.se/physiology/MorphDataSummary.php?genusname=Chlorurus&speciesname=frontalis&autoctr=3399 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref><ref name="fishbase-main" />
== Biology and environment == === Biology === This species is often seen in small schools on exposed reef flats and seaward reefs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Myers, R.F., 1991 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=1602 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref> They feed on benthic algae.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Bacchet, P., T. Zysman and Y. Lefèvre, 2006 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=89972 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref>
=== Environment === thumb|300px|''Chlorurus frontalis'' in a reef It is a tropical, marine, reef-associated fish. This species is usually found 10m to 40m below sea level. Its ideal range is between 30°N to 25°S.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Lieske, E. and R. Myers, 1994 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=9710 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref>
== Reproduction == This species is monogamous and oviparous. They pair up distinctly during breeding.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen, 1966 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=205 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Reproduction Summary - ''Chlorurus frontalis'' |url=https://fishbase.se/Reproduction/FishReproSummary.php?ID=5547&GenusName=Chlorurus&SpeciesName=frontalis&fc=364&StockCode=5837 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - SCRFA, Science and Conservation of Fish Aggregations, 2018 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=118580 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen, 1966 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=205 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref>
== Relationship with humans == This species is sometimes kept in aquariums.<ref name="fishbase-main"/> There have been reports of ciguatera poisoning after eating the fish.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reference Summary - Rongo, T. and R. van Woesik, 2011 |url=https://fishbase.se/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=130160 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=fishbase.se}}</ref>
== See also == * List of species in the genus ''Chlorurus''
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * ''{{website|https://www.fishbase.org/summary/Chlorurus_frontalis.html| Chlorurus frontalis}}'' from FishBase
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{{Commons category|Chlorurus frontalis}}
{{Portal|Fish|marine biology|marine life}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2895944}}
frontalis Category:Taxa named by Achille Valenciennes Category:Fish described in 1840