Teleostei (teleosts) >
Acanthuriformes (Surgeonfishes) >
Siganidae (Rabbitfishes)
Etymology: Siganus: Latin, siganus = a fish, rabbit fish; by the similarity of the nose (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Fowler & Bean.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 12 - 30 m (Ref. 9710). Tropical; 30°N - 24°S
Western Pacific: southern Ryukyu Islands, Palau (Belau), Philippines, northern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, northern Queensland and reefs off northwestern Western Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 35.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 48637); common length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9813)
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.
Inhabits lagoon and channel reefs (Ref. 9710), usually near steep slopes and harbours (Ref. 48637). Usually seen in pairs. Feeds on benthic seaweeds (Ref. 9813).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Woodland, D.J., 1990. Revision of the fish family Siganidae with descriptions of two new species and comments on distribution and biology. Indo-Pac. Fish. (19):136 p. (Ref. 1419)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.2 - 28.9, mean 27.7 °C (based on 166 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00642 - 0.03257), b=3.07 (2.89 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.0 ±0.00 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (33 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 34.9 [17.2, 80.0] mg/100g; Iron = 0.648 [0.306, 1.487] mg/100g; Protein = 18.5 [17.0, 20.0] %; Omega3 = 0.1 [0.1, 0.2] g/100g; Selenium = 21.7 [8.7, 54.3] μg/100g; VitaminA = 32.8 [7.7, 133.2] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.33 [0.52, 2.82] mg/100g (wet weight);