Author: Gasparini, Joyeux & Floeter, 2003
Comments: Found in shallow areas of tropical rocky reefs.  Males establish territories (approximately 8 m2).  Juveniles are strongly associated with seaweed beds, occasionally found mixed with <i>Sparisoma radians</i> and <i>Cryptotomus roseus</i>.  This species is typically a scraper which grazes upon a large variety of epilithic algae (e.g. <i>Jania, Gelidium, Polysiphonia</i>, consequently ingesting a large quantity of sediment.  It is however, very plastic in its feeding habits and is commonly observed browsing over <i>Sargassum</i>.  Males and larger initial phase adult individuals perform up to 2400 bites daily with a mean gut turnover of about 2.5 guts day-1, having an important role on local energy flux (Ref. 52151).