Parrotfish of the Great Barrier Reef: Rainbows Under the Sea

The array of colours found on the Scarini tribe (family: Labridae) commonly known as the Parrotfish, is truly astounding and is showcased to breathtaking effect in this book. Photographer and artist Michelle Brayshaw reveals the array of colour changes which these fish display through ontological (slow) and physiological (fast) processes. The obvious differences occur in the three phases of their lives, but it is the subtle changes in colour that can be the most bizarre, occurring while feeding, mating, courting, cleaning, camouflaging themselves to their backgrounds or the fish around them, experiencing mood swings, fighting, playing and, most excitingly of all, when they are transitioning from female to male. This feat is not unique to the Parrotfish, but no other animals do it with such glamour and colour.

Through hundreds of hours of observational research, this book highlights the light play and physiological and ontological colour changes of the Scarini found on the Great Barrier Reef in stunning photographic accuracy. It also includes comprehensive information about why Parrotfish are so important for the health and resilience of the reef; instilling in the reader a deeper sense of the treasures found there and reminding us of the interconnected nature of our existence.