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Acanthuriformes (Surgeonfishes) >
Siganidae (Rabbitfishes)
Etymology: Siganus: Latin, siganus = a fish, rabbit fish; by the similarity of the nose (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated, usually 3 - 30 m (Ref. 27115). Tropical; 24°C - 28°C (Ref. 27115); 15°N - 25°S
Western Pacific: endemic to Fiji, with strays recorded from New Caledonia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 24.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710)
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 23. Color dark purplish brown except pectoral fins, soft portions of dorsal and anal fins, caudal fin, and posterior part of body; demarcation of 2 colors is sharp. Preopercular angle 110°-114°; strong overlapping scales cover cheeks, 9-10 rows deep below center of orbit; midline of thorax fully scaled. Spines stout, pungent and venomous. Snout slightly shorter and less tubular, less concave above the nostrils. Caudal fin slightly incised.
Found among hard corals at the faces of drop-offs at reef edges or in deep pools inside reef crests. Juveniles form schools, adults occur in pairs. Feeds on 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
Venomous
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
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Estimates based on models
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): 2.7 ±0.30 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 vulnerability (14 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 47.1 [22.5, 113.0] mg/100g; Iron = 0.745 [0.358, 1.799] mg/100g; Protein = 18.7 [17.2, 20.3] %; Omega3 = 0.116 [0.060, 0.234] g/100g; Selenium = 21.3 [8.5, 53.6] μg/100g; VitaminA = 34.9 [9.3, 122.6] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.31 [0.51, 2.80] mg/100g (wet weight);