jimiivan's video: the spawning of the humphead parrotfish - Palau 2020

diving with green humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) group-spawning in the early morning (0600) of the 21st of February 2020 in the waters of Republic of Palau (western barrier reef). In the end of the dive we encountered a bull shark passing by. The largest species of parrotfish spawn pelagically near the outer reef slope or near promontories, gutters, or channel mouths during a lunar cycle, usually spawning just prior to the new moon. (1) Class: ray-finned fish (Actinopterygii) - Order: Labriformes - Family: parrotfish (Scaridae) - Genus: Bolbometopon - max. length: 130 cm, max. weight: 46 kg - (2) conservation status: vulnerable (IUCN 3.1) a unique dive - new moon - expedition with sam's tours, Palau "One of the best loved sightings among divers is the Bumphead Parrot Fish (Bolbometopon muricatum). Often seen patrolling the reefs in schools of up to 20 or more, these encounters are favorites for many divers, but imagine an aggregation of nearly a thousand individuals! The New Moon Expedition takes us to a remote dive site, where aggregations begin forming early in the morning. Awaiting the exact time for spawning, hundreds of Bumphead Parrot Fish from all around the area join one another for what is about to be an unforgettable event. Building up to this spectacular showdown, males begin their display of dominance, attempting to attract as many mating partners as possible. As females continue to gather, the school spills out into the blue where the tension erupts into a climatic mating dance." (3) Spawning aggregation size: 800 - 3000 individuals. (4) video & music by Markus Jimi Ivan @ SRDS Deutsch-Wagram 2020, https://www.jimiivan.at - YouTube-Channel THECRÆSH - https://www.youtube.com/TheCraesh References: en.wikipedia.org unless noted: (1): Taylor, Brett M.; Hamilton, Richard J.; Almany, Glenn R.; Howard Choat, J. (30 July 2018). "The world's largest parrotfish has slow growth and a complex reproductive ecology". Coral Reefs. 37 (4): 1197–1208. (2): fishbase.org (3): samstours.com (4): unique dive expeditions - yt-video 2014