Reef fish

Bumphead parrotfish

Bolbometopon muricatum

IUCN status: VulnerableWidely sought

The largest parrotfish, reaching about 1.3–1.5m and 45kg, with a bulbous forehead used in head-butting displays. It grazes coral in schools and gathers in spawning aggregations; harvest is banned in several countries.

Max size: Up to ~1.5m and 45kg+
Habitat: Outer reef slopes and channels; sleeps in shallow reef

Best places to dive with Bumphead parrotfish

rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season

Palau

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	peak season
March	peak season
April	peak season
May	peak season
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Resident schools on the outer reef; a mass spawning aggregation is documented in Palau around the new moon, strongest February–May.

Bali

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	commonly seen
February	commonly seen
March	commonly seen
April	commonly seen
May	commonly seen
June	commonly seen
July	commonly seen
August	commonly seen
September	commonly seen
October	commonly seen
November	commonly seen
December	commonly seen

A resident school lives on and around the USAT Liberty at Tulamben and is often seen at dawn before day-trippers arrive.

Sipadan

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	commonly seen
February	commonly seen
March	commonly seen
April	commonly seen
May	commonly seen
June	commonly seen
July	commonly seen
August	commonly seen
September	commonly seen
October	commonly seen
November	not seen
December	commonly seen

Big schools cruise the reef top at dawn (Sipadan closed in November).

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	commonly seen
February	commonly seen
March	commonly seen
April	commonly seen
May	commonly seen
June	commonly seen
July	commonly seen
August	commonly seen
September	commonly seen
October	commonly seen
November	commonly seen
December	commonly seen

Herds of 20–40 are a common Tubbataha sight, grazing across the reef flats and shallow coral.

Apo Reef Natural Park

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Schools are reported along Binangaan Drop-off. Bumpheads were among the species hardest hit by the pre-2007 fishing on this reef, so numbers reflect a recovering population.

Atauro Island & the Dili Coast (Ombai Strait)

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Reported specifically at Akrema Wall on Atauro's northern tip, where the reef meets moving water. Not a feature of the Dili-coast shore sites.

Banda Sea

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Reported on the reef slopes around Koon and the Banda Islands, usually in small groups rather than the large dawn schools seen in Raja Ampat. Not a headline sighting here.

Bligh Water & Vatu-i-Ra

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Bunaken

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Groups graze the reef tops, most often encountered around Mandolin and the eastern walls.

Cenderawasih Bay

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Possible on healthy outer reefs, but published evidence does not support a seasonal peak or a guaranteed aggregation.

Kadavu & Great Astrolabe Reef

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Komodo

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Reported year-round in schools at Lighthouse in the north and Tanjung Loh Sera, but not a given on any single dive — coded occasional rather than resident because the sources describe them site-specifically rather than as a park-wide constant. No seasonality documented.

Layang-Layang (Swallow Reef)

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Reported on the shallow drop-off, including a large individual described as sleeping there. Not the dawn aggregations Sipadan is known for — single fish and small groups.

Morotai

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Included in the USAID survey's Morotai observations; current dive frequency is not quantified.

Pulau Weh

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Reported mainly from outer reefs including The Canyon; not presented as a guaranteed sighting.

Savusavu & Namena

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Similan Islands

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Reported at boulder sites such as Boulder City/Shark Fin Reef, often in loose groups. Present through the open season; sightings vary by site.

Taveuni & Rainbow Reef

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	occasional
February	occasional
March	occasional
April	occasional
May	occasional
June	occasional
July	occasional
August	occasional
September	occasional
October	occasional
November	occasional
December	occasional

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Nusa Penida

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	rare
February	rare
March	rare
April	rare
May	rare
June	rare
July	rare
August	rare
September	rare
October	rare
November	rare
December	rare

Documented in benthic and roving survey work around Nusa Penida but not a dependable sighting on a two-dive day trip. Most likely on the north-coast reefs early in the morning.

Sumbawa, Moyo & Sangeang

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	rare
February	rare
March	rare
April	rare
May	rare
June	rare
July	rare
August	rare
September	rare
October	rare
November	rare
December	rare

Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported monthly peak is applied.

Tenggol Island

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	not seen
February	not seen
March	not seen
April	rare
May	rare
June	rare
July	rare
August	rare
September	rare
October	rare
November	not seen
December	not seen

Reported around Tenggol, but accessible sources do not establish a reliable school or seasonal pattern.

Tioman Island

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	rare
February	rare
March	rare
April	rare
May	rare
June	rare
July	rare
August	rare
September	rare
October	rare
November	rare
December	rare

Bumphead parrotfish are reported around Soyak and Renggis, but encounters are not reliable enough for resident coding.

Togian Islands

Sighting likelihood by month
Month	Likelihood
January	rare
February	rare
March	rare
April	rare
May	rare
June	rare
July	rare
August	rare
September	rare
October	rare
November	rare
December	rare

Bumphead parrotfish are reported at selected reefs such as Catherine Reef, but evidence is operator-level and does not support a reliable-trip claim.

Sources & last checked

Checked July 2026

Research is source-backed, but conditions and fees should still be confirmed locally.

View 2 sources and checking notes

Bolbometopon muricatum (Bumphead Parrotfish), IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Green humphead parrotfish, Wikipedia

Note on the data: Shared species (Palau and Sipadan).