Scientific Name
Siganus punctatissimus

Common Name
Peppered spinefoot

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. Head and body dark chocolate brown with purplish hue; iris pale rose-brown, white spotted. Spines stout, pungent, venomous. Preopercular angle 93?-109?. Cheeks completely scaled. Midline of thorax scaled; a row of scales absent along pelvic ridges. Anterior nostril with low rim; expanded posteriorly into a broad flap, reaching halfway to posterior nostril.

Classification

Classified By

Fowler & Bean, 1929

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Rabbitfishes (Siganidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Pacific

Distribution

Western Pacific: southern Ryukyu Islands, Palau (Belau), Philippines, northern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, northern Queensland and reefs off northwestern Western Australia.

Range

30°N - 24°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

12 m

Depth To - meters

30 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 12 - 30 m (Ref. 9710)

Trophic Level

2 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

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

35.0 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

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (30 of 100)

Resilience

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

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated