| Family: |
Siganidae (Rabbitfishes) |
| Max. size: |
25 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 3 - 5 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Indian Ocean: off the northwestern coast of Western Australia (Ningaloo Reef complex; North West Cape; Murion Islands; Rosemary Islands, Dampier Archipelago). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 13-13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 7-7; Anal soft rays: 9-9; Vertebrae: 13-13. Sides of body and fins bright yellow with orange cast; 3 chocolate brown patches on upper half of body below spinous part of dorsal fin; head, thorax, ventral margin of body, upper half of sides, and caudal peduncle with blue pinhead-sized ocelli, with deep blue margin; ocelli also present within the 3 patches; fins may be invaded basally by blue ocelli. Brown smudge running diagonally through eye; yellow lips; dusky yellow iris. Fin and nape spines fairly stout, pungent, and venomous. Midline of thorax and pelvic ridges fully scaled. |
| Biology: |
Strictly corallophilic, pairs living in area rich in hard coral, particularly Acropora. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 29 November 2023 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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