Parrot Fish and Bubbles - 345 Pieces. Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle.

Parrot Fish and Bubbles - 345 Pieces. Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle.

$94.95
Parrotfish help to keep coral reefs colorful.An adult parrotfish has over one thousand teeth, lined up in 15 continuously growing...
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  • Categories: 20th Century, 21st Century, 301 - 400 Pieces, Contemporary, Level 3, New Arrivals, Puzzles For Her, Puzzles For Him, Spring, Summer, Victorian
  • Type: 301-400 Piece Puzzle
Parrotfish help to keep coral reefs colorful.

An adult parrotfish has over one thousand teeth, lined up in 15 continuously growing rows. The teeth are fused to form a robust parrot-like beak, which is how the fish got its name. When scientists analyzed the structure of these chompers, they discovered that they were harder than copper, silver, and gold. They can also withstand over 530 tons of pressure. That's the same as the weight of about 88 elephants!

They spend about 90% of their day ingesting the algae and parasites growing on the coral reefs and discharging sand as their waste. Fully grown parrotfish are like sand factories, producing between 800 and 2000 lbs of sand each year. Divers can tell when these fish are nearby because of the loud noises they make, scraping, biting, and crunching coral. 

When you think of the most beautiful beaches in the world, parrotfish are not the first thing that springs to mind, but in fact, parrotfish are 70% responsible. From the beautiful white sand in the Maldives to swaths of pink sand in Jamaica, the lowly parrotfish is capable of producing great art for us all to enjoy.

Parrotfish are essential to the survival of coral reefs, and though they are also considered a delicacy, there is a push to put them on the endangered species list to help protect the coral. In Polynesia, they are eaten raw and are considered "Royal Food," once only eaten by the king.

The loss of parrotfish disturbs the delicate balance of coral ecosystems and allows algae to take over and smother the reefs.

A recent study showed that Caribbean corals have declined by more than 50 percent since the 1970s and may disappear in the next 20 years due to the parrotfish's loss and climate change.

The study further shows that some of the healthiest Caribbean coral reefs are in areas where parrotfish fishing has been restricted.

About 80 identified species of parrotfish live on reefs worldwide, but they all generally live about 5-7 years and grow to 1-4 feet in length. They typically feed during the day and sleep at night. 

Certain species of parrotfish spend about an hour creating a bubble of mucus pajamas to sleep in. The mucus comes from glands behind their gills. These bubbles act as protective sleeping bags to shield the fish from blood-sucking parasites and predators like moray eels and sharks.

If you enjoy gazing at colorful coral or making sandcastles on the beach, you have parrotfish teeth to thank.

Enjoy them in this colorful puzzle rather than on a plate!

The perfect gift for jigsaw puzzlers and marine life enthusiasts, this traditional adult ocean wooden jigsaw puzzle can be done repeatedly. Our ocean wooden jigsaw puzzle artists have included many shaped whimsy puzzle pieces that match the subject of the painting, and we have integrated them in ways that will delight and surprise you as you put the ocean wooden jigsaw puzzle together.

  • Includes Bonus Poster to Guide Assembly
  • Number of Puzzle Pieces: 345
  • Completed Puzzle Size: 11.5" X 11.5"
  • Artist: Carol Cavalaris
  • Serial #: NP22-345-493
  • Wood Thickness: 4mm
  • Cut Style: Victorian
  • Difficulty: Level 3
  • Made in the USA