The bulbophyllum, also known as the bulbophyllum, is a genus of large parrotfish in the family Parrotidae of the suborder Bulbophyllaceae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific oceans and often inhabits coral reefs, offshore coasts or rocky reefs. Feeding on invertebrates such as corals, shellfish and sea urchins and algae, it is the most important producer of fine coral sand in the reef area. Juveniles are found in lagoons, while adults swim in reef bays or in the waters outside coral reefs.
It is usually about 25 cm long, up to 130 cm long, and weighs up to 45 kg, making it the largest species of parrotfish. The forehead of the head protrudes forward, and the contour of the head can be nearly vertical. There are large white spots on the forehead and mouth. The posterior nostrils are larger than the anterior nostrils. There are granular protrusions on the surface outside the plate of the tooth plate; each upper pharyngeal bone has 3 columns of molar-like pharyngeal cephalic teeth, the latter of which are not well developed. The caudal fin is rounded when juvenile and double-concave when adult.
In the initial stage, the body is dark gray with white spots scattered on the side of the body, and in the final stage, it gradually turns all-dark green to greenish brown, and the light purple stripes are distributed along the scales on the side of the body. The leading edge of the head is usually pale green to pink; each fin is the same color as the body color. It feeds mainly on algae from stony corals. Because of its large size, an adult fish can chew five tons of coral bones a year, ranking first among fish that nibble on live coral.
Alert by nature, adult fish usually move in groups, and have the habit of resting together in groups at night. It is produced throughout the year, with more in summer. Usually on the early morning of each full moon, large clusters lay their eggs in coral reefs between crevices and passages. When the female spawns, the male is fertilized in the water. The lifespan is about 40 years. Due to overfishing, the current population is very sparse and is classified as a vulnerable species of the IUCN.