Teleostei (teleosts) >
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; depth range 2 - 15 m (Ref. 9813). Tropical
Eastern Central Pacific: endemic to Tonga, common only in the northernmost island group, Vavau.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 22.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9813)
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 23. Fish looks black apart from the bright yellow pectoral fins; `vertical' margin of soft portion of dorsal fin and trailing edge of caudal fin orange. Preopercular angle 110°-111°; strong overlapping scales cover cheeks; 8-12 rows deep below center of orbit. Fully scaled midline of thorax. A very short tube, slightly taller posteriorly supports the anterior nostril opening. Caudal fin slightly incised.
Prefers areas of staghorn or fire corals, or around rubble mounds composed of plate and staghorn corals. Subadults and adults in pairs, juveniles probably form schools. Feeds on seaweeds. Marketed fresh (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 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Venomous
Human uses
Fisheries: 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): 2.0 ±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 vulnerability (12 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 54.2 [27.2, 133.8] mg/100g; Iron = 0.831 [0.390, 1.936] mg/100g; Protein = 18.5 [17.0, 20.0] %; Omega3 = 0.1 [0.1, 0.2] g/100g; Selenium = 20 [8, 49] μg/100g; VitaminA = 31.5 [7.3, 130.7] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.65 [0.64, 3.54] mg/100g (wet weight);