I swam into the middle of this substantial shoal of humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) and watched as they trundled past me; the marine equivalent, I felt, of a herd of buffalo. This is the largest species of parrotfish, reaching metres and 45 kgs. It eats hard coral, using its fused beak-like front teeth to bite off chunks. Some reports indicate that it also breaks off portions of reef by head-butting. Sadly, the species is becoming rarer; it is stated to be 'vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List. I took this photograph off Layang Layang, a Malaysian island in the South China Sea.

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Size: 5077px × 3267px
Location: Near Layang Layang Island, Malaysia.
Photo credit: © Terence Dormer / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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