Scientific Name
Siganus puellus

Common Name
Masked spinefoot

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. Body yellow-orange above to silvery white below; a prominent blackish bar on head, spotted; iris blackish; opercular area silver; dorsal and anal fin spines and rays yellow, spines with white streak. Spines stout and venomous. Preopercular angle 101?-111?. Cheeks fully covered with strong scales. Midline of thorax scaled; scaled pelvic ridges may interrupt scale row pattern. Low rim of anterior nostril expanded posteriorly into a short, broad triangular flap.

Classification

Classified By

Schlegel, 1852

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Rabbitfishes (Siganidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-West Pacific

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: Cocos-Keeling Islands and the South China Sea to the Gilbert Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia (Ref. 37816). Recently recorded from Tonga (Ref. 53797).

Range

30°N - 30°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

22 °C

Water Temperature To

27 °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

30 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 30 m (Ref. 9710), usually 2 - 30 m (Ref. 27115)

Trophic Level

3 s.e. 0.00 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

38.0 cm

Common Length

25.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (26 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 4690)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated