Bumphead Parrotfish

Bumphead parrotfish are the giants of the parrotfish family: schools of 30–50 patrolling outer-reef walls at dawn, headbutting coral to crack chunks off, then crunching them with fused beak-teeth. A single school can consume tonnes of coral per year and produce most of the white sand on adjacent beaches.

Sipadan and the Philippines (Tubbataha) are the global hotspots, where sunrise dives at Barracuda Point or Coral Garden routinely deliver bumphead schools at 15–25 metres. Andaman's outer reefs hold smaller schools.

They're heavily targeted by spearfishing (IUCN Vulnerable) and recovering only in well-managed marine parks. Diving them at protected sites directly funds conservation, and the early-morning headbutt-and-crunch soundtrack carries through the water.