[4] Scarus psittacus is widespread in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, its distribution extends from the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Gulf of Aden to Sodwana Bay,[1] it ranges eastwards across the Indian Ocean and into the Pacific Ocean extending eastwards to Hawaii,[3] north to southern Japan and south to Australia, as far as Shark Bay in Western Australia and Lord Howe Island.

The population is made up of a few large, colourful territorial males called terminal phase who guard groups, or harems, of smaller, less colourful individuals termed initial phase.

[3] Scarus psittacus was first formally described in 1775 by the Swedish explorer, orientalist and naturalist Peter Forsskål (1732-1763) with the type locality given as Jeddah.

[6] Subsequently Joseph Swain designated S. psittacus as the type species of the genus Scarus.

[8] Scarus psittacus is caught in some small scale fisheries[1] but its flesh is regarded as poor as it is too soft.