Home range and movement patterns of the Redlip Parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus) in Hawaii

The activity and movement of the Redlip Parrotfish, Scarus rubroviolaceus, near Wawaloli reef, Hawaii (19°43′06″N, 156°03′11″W), was investigated with active and passive tracking techniques from April through November 2007. Site fidelity was determined and home range sizes were measured for 21 individuals. All individuals showed strong diurnal activity patterns and relatively stable home ranges. Terminal phase individuals had larger home range areas than initial phase fish, and home range size increased with depth. Occasional long forays from the home range were observed in many individuals. Forays often occurred in crepuscular hours and may represent migrations to/from nocturnal sheltering sites. Findings from this study underscore the importance of depth and nighttime shelter migrations as design considerations for effective marine protected areas (MPA) for large parrotfishes.