Streamlined spinefoot

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Streamlined spinefoot
Siganus argenteus, Lizard.jpg
Forkail rabbitfish (Siganus argenteus) (47562803742).jpg
At Great Barrier Reef, Australia (above), and Raja Ampat, Indonesia (below)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Siganidae
Genus: Siganus
Species:
S. argenteus
Binomial name
Siganus argenteus
(Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)
Synonyms [2]
  • Amphacanthus argenteusQuoy & Gaimard, 1825
  • Teuthis argentea(Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)
  • Amphacanthus rostratus Valenciennes, 1835
  • Siganus rostratus(Valenciennes, 1835)
  • Teuthis rostrata(Valenciennes, 1835)
  • Teuthis rostratus(Valenciennes, 1835)
  • Amphacanthus mertensiiValenciennes, 1835
  • Teuthis oligosticta Kner, 1868
  • Teuthis vitianus Sauvage, 1882
  • Siganus vitianus(Sauvage, 1882)

The streamlined spinefoot (Siganus argenteus), also known as the forktail rabbitfish, schooling rabbitfish or silver spinefoot, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

Contents

Taxonomy

The streamlined spinefoot was first formally described in 1825 as Amphacanthus argenteus by the French naturalists Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard with the type locality given as Guam in the Marianas. [3] The specific name argenteus means "silvery", a reference to the silver colour of the cheeks and lower body. [4]

Description

The streamlined spinefoot has a body which is oval, compressed, slender and fusiform, the body has a standard length which is 2.4 to 3 times its depth. The small head does not have a steep dorsal profile byt has a pointed snout. The front nostril has a flap which extends past the rear nostril. There is a procumbent spine at the front of the dorsal fin which is enclosed in the skin of the nape. [5] The dorsal fin contains 13 spines and 10 soft rays while the anal fin has 7 spines and 9 soft rays. [2] The caudal fin has a deep fork. [6] This species attains a maximum total length of 40 cm (16 in), although 25 cm (9.8 in) is more typical. [2] The colous of this species are that blue on the upper body with a silvery lower body. They frequently have variable markings, spots and curved lines, particularly on the lower flanks. The eye has a silvery-yellow iris. The axil of pectoral fin is yellow and there is normally a yellow stripe along the base of the dorsal fin. There is also a dark brown bar on the upper edge of the operculum. This fish changes colour when alarmed or asleep to pale and dark brown mottling, with dark areas forming 7 diagonal zones across the flanks and the fins becoming mottled. [7]

Distribution and habitat

The streamlined spinefoot has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution from the Red Sea south to Mozambique and Madagascar and east into the Pacific Ocean as far as Pitcairn Island, north to Japan and south to Australia. [1] In Australia it is distributed from the area of Shark Bay in Western Australia to the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, and on the east coast from the northern Great Barrier Reef near Cape York south to Moreton Bay in Queensland, it also occurs on reefs in the Coral Sea and at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. [7] It has been recorded once in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya but how this specimen reached there is uncertain. [8] At remote islands such as Rapa, Pitcairn and the Line Islands this species may be the only rabbitfish present. It occurs at depths down to 40 m (130 ft) in lagoons, on reefs, and in seaweed and seagrass beds. [1]

Biology

The streamlined spinefoot is normally found in large, fast swimming schools on the water column clear of the seabed, every now and again they all dive down to the substrare to feed. Juveniles and adults may be encountered in small schools of 2–100 individuals near coral reefs, usually in the surge zone on the edge of the reef. Juveniles inhabit the water close to the surface in dense schools as far as several kilometres offshore, moving on to reef flats just before metamorphosis. [2] The streamlined spinefoot has a diet made up of red and green macroalgae and it is one of the few herbivorous fishes that is able to eat the chemically rich macroalgae Chlorodesmis fastigata , however, this algae may only be eaten opportunistically and is likely a minor part of the total diet. [1] They have spines which can inject venom into an attacker. [2]

Unusually for a rabbitfish, the streamlined spinefoot is a pelagic spawner and has a relatively long larval stage and a unique prejuvenile stage. [9] These long developmental stages allow it to disperse widely and makes the species less vulnerable than its congeners to overfishing. [1]

Fisheries

Streamlined spinefoot are frequently recorded in markets in parts of their range, both as juveniles and adults. The pre-juveniles are taken as they migrate to reef flat areas in a brief but important part of local fisheries, e.g. in Guam. They are consumed fresh, pickled in brine, or made into fish paste. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rabbitfish</span> Genus of fishes

Rabbitfishes or spinefoots are perciform fishes in the family Siganidae. The 29 species are in a single genus, Siganus. In some now obsolete classifications, the species having prominent face stripes—colloquially called foxfaces–are in the genus Lo. Other species, such as the masked spinefoot, show a reduced form of the stripe pattern. Rabbitfishes are native to shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific, but S. luridus and S. rivulatus have become established in the eastern Mediterranean via Lessepsian migration. They are commercially important food fish, and can be used in the preparation of dishes such as bagoong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foxface rabbitfish</span> Species of fish

The foxface rabbitfish, also known as the foxface, black-face rabbitfish or common foxface, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It can be found in the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange-spotted spinefoot</span> Species of fish

The orange-spotted spinefoot, also known as the deepbody spinefoot, gold-saddle rabbitfish, golden rabbitfish, golden-spotted spinefoot, goldlined spinefoot or yellowblotch spinefoot, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masked spinefoot</span> Species of fish

The masked spinefoot, also known as the masked rabbitfish, bluelined rabbitfish, blue-lined spinefoot, decorated rabbitfish or maiden spinefoot, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It occurs in shallow, coral-rich areas of clear lagoons and seaward reefs of the Indo-West Pacific region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-spotted spinefoot</span> Species of fish

The blue-spotted spinefoot, the coral rabbitfish, coral spinefoot, ocellated spinefoot or orange spinefoot, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific where it is often caught as a food fish and occasionally as an aquarium fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streaked spinefoot</span> Species of fish

The streaked spinefoot, also known as the Java rabbitfish, blue-spotted spinefoot, blue-spotted trevally, Java spinefoot or white-spotted rabbit-fish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found throughout most of the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Siganus insomnis</i> Species of rabbitfish

Siganus insomnis, the bronze-lined spinefoot, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the northern central Indian Ocean. It had formerly been confused with S. lineatus, but was recognized as a separate species in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden-lined spinefoot</span> Species of fish

The golden-lined spinefoot, also known as the goldlined rabbitfish or lined rabbitfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the tropical Western Pacific and along the coasts of northern Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermiculated spinefoot</span> Species of fish

The vermiculated spinefoot, also known as maze rabbitfish, scribbled spinefoot or vermiculate rabbitfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. Like all rabbitfishes, it has venomous spines on the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins. It is a reef associated fish species of the Indo-West Pacific region. It is a common commercially important fish in many tropical countries.

<i>Siganus virgatus</i> Species of fish

Siganus virgatus, the barhead spinefoot, doublebar rabbitfish or doublebar spinefoot is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Siganus canaliculatus</i> Species of fish

Siganus canaliculatus, the white-spotted spinefoot, white-spotted rabbitfish, pearly spinefoot, seagrass rabbitfish, slimy spinefoot or smudgespot spinefoot is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is native to the western Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean where it occurs on reefs and in lagoons.

<i>Siganus fuscescens</i> Species of fish

Siganus fuscescens, the mottled spinefoot, black rabbitfish, black spinefoot, dusky rabbitfish, fuscous rabbitfish, happy moments, mi mi, pearl-spotted spinefoot, pin-spotted spinefoot, stinging bream or West Australian rabbitfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.

The black foxface is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is endemic to Tonga in the western Pacific Ocean.

The blackeye rabbitfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peppered spinefoot</span> Species of fish

The peppered spinefoot, also known as the finespotted rabbitfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It occurs in the Indo-West Pacific region.

<i>Siganus punctatus</i> Species of fish

Siganus punctatus the goldspotted spinefoot, goldspotted rabbitfish, punctuated spinefoot, spotted rabbitfish, spotted spinefoot or yellow-spotted spinefoot, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It occurs in the Indo-West Pacific region.

<i>Siganus randalli</i> Species of fish

Siganus randalli, the variegated spinefoot or Randall's rabbitfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Siganus spinus</i> Species of fish

Siganus spinus, the little spinefoot, scribbled rabbitfish, blunt-nosed spinefoot, spiny rabbitfish or spiny spinefoot, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Siganus stellatus</i> Species of fish

Siganus stellatus, the brown-spotted spinefoot, brown-spotted rabbitfish, honeycomb rabbitfish, starspotted spinefoot, starspotted rabbitfish or stellate rabbitfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Siganus trispilos</i> Species of fish

Siganus trispilos, the threeblotched rabbitfish, threespot rabbitfish, threeblotch spinefoot or threespot spinefoot is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is endemic to the eastern Indian Ocean off northwestern Western Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Carpenter, K.E.; Lawrence, A. & Myers, R. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Siganus argenteus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T69689070A115468608. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69689070A69690329.en . Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2021). "Siganus argenteus" in FishBase. June 2021 version.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Siganus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  4. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (12 January 2021). "Order Acanthuriformes (part 2): Families Ephippidae, Leiognathidae, Scatophagidae, Antigoniidae, Siganidae, Caproidae, Luvaridae, Zanclidae and Acanthuridae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  5. 1 2 D.J. Woodland (2001). "Siganidae". In Carpenter, K.E. and Niem, V.H. (eds.). FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles, sea turtles, sea snakes and marine mammal (PDF). Rome: FAO. p. 3632. ISBN   92-5-104587-9.
  6. ↑ "Siganus argenteus". Reef Life Survey. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  7. 1 2 Bray, D.J. (2017). "Siganus argenteus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. ↑ Abdulghani Abdelghani; Sara A.A. Al Mabruk; Fabio Crocetta & Daniel Golani (2021). "The Streamlined Rabbitfish Siganus argenteus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) in the Mediterranean Sea". Thalassas. 37: 287–290. doi:10.1007/s41208-020-00259-z.
  9. ↑ Henry C. Schultz III. "You Silly Rabbit:The genus Siganus". Reefkeeping.com. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
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