Remarks on a Tooth of Pseudoscarus sp.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 30, 1897, Page 556

It was one of the upper pharyngeal plates of a species of Pseudo-scarus. The only species yet obtained from the Caroline Islands was only known from a drawing. These fish were commonly known as parrot-fish, or parrot-wrasses. Dr. Günther tells us in his “Study of Fishes” that the Mediterranean species were highly esteemed by the ancients, and Aristotle gives a long account of its feeding habits. The kind most esteemed by the Romans was interesting, being one of the first fish to be acclimatised. This was done by Elipentius, in the reign of Claudius, who brought the fish from the Troad and put them into the sea at Ostium. For five years all that were caught in nets were thrown back again, so that it soon became an abundant fish. Pliny thought it the best of fish (nunc Scaro datur principatus). Its flesh was esteemed delicate and easy of digestion, and was thus highly esteemed in the Greek Archipelago. It fed by scraping the animal growth off seaweed, for which its outer jaws were adapted. The material was then ground by the pharyngeal teeth, just as a cow chewed the cud. There was a myth that even the excrements of this fish were eaten by the gods. In New Zealand waters there were two species of closely allied fish with similar feeding habits, locally known as butter-fish (Coridodax pullus and Odax vittatus). They were most excellent food-fishes, being delicate and free from oily matter. He wished to know if Mr. Christian could give him the derivation of the native name of the fish “kamaik.” The New Zealand butter-fish was called “marare.”