Vermiculated spinefoot

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Vermiculated spinefoot
Siganus vermiculatus.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Siganidae
Genus: Siganus
Species:
S. vermiculatus
Binomial name
Siganus vermiculatus
(Valenciennes, 1835)
Synonyms [2]
  • Amphacanthus vermiculatusValenciennes, 1835
  • Teuthis vermiculata(Valenciennes, 1835)
  • Teuthis vermiculatus(Valenciennes, 1835)
  • Amphacanthus russeliiValenciennes, 1835
  • Siganus shortlandensis Seale, 1906

The vermiculated spinefoot (Siganus vermiculatus), 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 reef associated fish species of the Indo-West Pacific region. It is a common commercially important fish in many tropical countries.

Contents

Taxonomy

The vermiculated spinefoot was first formally described in 1835 as Amphacanthus vermiculatus by the French zoologist Achille Valenciennes with the type locality given as New Guinea. [3] The specific name vermiculatus refers to the vermiculated or maze pattern on the bodies of the living fish. [4]

Description

The vermiculated spinefoot has a deep and laterally compressed body which has a depth which fits 1.9 to 2.2 times into its standard length. The nape is bulging with a slight indentation above each eye. The deep, blunt snout also bulges. The front nostril has a flange which is slightly widened to its rear. There is a recumbent spine to the front of the dorsal fin. [5] Like all rabbitfishes, the dorsal fin has 13 spines and 10 soft rays while the anal fin has 7 spines and 9 soft rays. The fin spines hold venom glands. [2] The caudal fin is emarginate. [5] This species attains a maximum total length of 45 cm (18 in), although 30 cm (12 in) is more typical. [2] The body is covered a grey and whitish complex maze-like or reticulate pattern with a patch of yellow on the head and spots on the caudal fin. [6]

Distribution and habitat

The vermiculated spinefoot is found from southern India and Sri Lanka eastwards into the western Pacific Ocean as far east as Palau and Guam, south to Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia and Australia. [1] In Australia it has been reported from Darnley Island and Townsville in northern Queensland but its presence in Australian Waters needs to be confirmed. [6] It is found in shallow, coastal waters, especially estuaries. Both adults and juveniles are commonest shallow, sediment-laden waters in mangroves, following the tide in and out. Adults are occasionally encountered in clear water in the vicinity of reefs or above sandy substrates. [6]

Biology

The vermiculated spinefoot browses algae which is growing on seagrass, the roost of mangrove and on rocks. The adults gather in aggregations of several hundred individuals to spawn in the summer, the pawn in pairs laying eggs which adhere to the substrate. [2] The lunar cycle governs spawning behaviour. [1] This species produces venom in the spines of its fins. [2] In a study of the venom of a congener it was found that rabbitfish venom was similar to the venom of stonefishes. [7]

Fisheries

The vermiculated spinefoot is a large fast growing species and is sold fresh in markets in India, Sri Lanka and Fiji where it commpans premium prices. [1] They are caught using nets and fixed traps. [5]

Related Research Articles

Rabbitfish 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.

Foxface rabbitfish 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.

Blotched foxface Species of fish

The blotched foxface, also called the blackblotch foxface or one-spot foxface, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found at reefs and lagoons in the central Indo-Pacific. Except for the black spot on the rear upper body, it resembles the closely related foxface rabbitfish.

Bicolored foxface Species of fish

The bicolored foxface, also known as the Uspi rabbitfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found at coral reefs in Fiji in the Pacific Ocean. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

Orange-spotted spinefoot 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.

Masked spinefoot 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.

Blue-spotted spinefoot 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.

Streaked spinefoot 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.

Golden-lined spinefoot 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.

<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>

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.

Blackeye rabbitfish Species of fish

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.

Peppered spinefoot 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 Larson, H. (2012). "Siganus vermiculatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012: e.T196436A2457345. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T196436A2457345.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2021). "Siganus vermiculatus" 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 7 September 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 7 September 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 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). FAO Rome. p. 3646. ISBN   92-5-104587-9.
  6. 1 2 3 Bray, D.J. (2018). "Siganus vermiculatus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  7. Kiriake A; Ishizaki S; Nagashima Y; Shiomi K (2017). "Occurrence of a stonefish toxin-like toxin in the venom of the rabbitfish Siganus fuscescens". Toxicon. 140: 139–146. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.10.015. PMID   29055787.