FishBase recognizes 15 species in this genus,[4] including S. rocha described from Trindade Island in 2010[5] and S. choati described from the East Atlantic in 2012.

In most species, the terminal phase is more colourful than the initial, but a notable exception to this rule is S. cretense.

The genus Sparisoma is fairly successful, but populations have been falling somewhat because of overfishing and other human activities.

William Swainson described the genus Sparisoma in 1839 and he designated Sparus abildgaardi as its type species,[2] Although the specific name abildgaardi would appear to have precedence over chrysopterum, the latter is the more widely used name and the former was long mistakenly thought to be synonymous with Sparisoma viride.

[7] The name Sparus abildgaardi was suppressed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature and Scarus chrysopterus was recognised as the type species.