Clepticus parrae (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

Moderately elongate, compressed fish with equally curved upper and lower profiles (Ref. 26938). Color primarily violet or purple; large individuals with a wash of yellow on lower two-thirds of body; prolonged portions of dorsal and anal fins and tips of pelvic fins blackish (Ref. 13442). Caudal fin emarginate in young, lunate in adults (Ref 52831).

Forms lek during breeding (Ref. 55367). A monandric species (Ref. 55367). Length at sex change = 15.78 cm TL (Ref. 55367).

Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 12 - 13

Cleaned by Pederson's cleaner shrimp (Periclimenes pedersoni), goby (Gobiosoma evelynae and others), hogfish (Bodianus rufus), and also wrasse (Thalassoma trifasciata) as observed on the coral reefs in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (Ref. 36810).

Inhabits seaward reef slopes; occasionally on shallow patch reefs (Ref. 9710). Found in large midwater aggregations feeding on plankton (Ref. 9710), small jellyfishes, pteropods, pelagic tunicates and various invertebrate larvae (Ref. 13442). Form leks during breeding (Ref. 55367). Also caught with beach nets (Ref. 5217).

fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial; price category: very high; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family