Foxface, Siganus vulpinus (Schlegel & Müller 1845)


Other Names: Black-face Rabbitfish, Common Foxface, Fox-face, Foxface Rabbitfish

A Foxface, Siganus vulpinus, on Harrier Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, November 1998. Source: Erik Schlogl / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A bright yellow rabbitfish with the head and anterior body white, a black band from the mouth through the eye to the dorsal-fin origin, and a black area on the breast that tapers upwards to just above the pectoral-fin base.

Rabbitfish have stout venomous fin spines that may cause a very painful sting.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2018, Siganus vulpinus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1890

Foxface, Siganus vulpinus (Schlegel & Müller 1845)

More Info


Distribution

Northern reefs and offshore reefs on Western Australia, Ashmore Reef, Timor Sea, and the northern Great Barrier Reef to the Capricorn Group, Queensland. Elsewhere the species occurs in tropical, west-central Pacific.
Inhabits lagoons and seaward reefs areas with rich coral growth, often in pairs among staghorn (Acropora) corals. Juveniles and subadults may form large schools among Acropora to feed on algae growing on the dead bases of the coral branches.

Features

Dorsal fin XIII, 10; Anal fin VII, 9; Pectoral fin 16-17; scale rows above lateral line 16-20; Vertebrae 13. 
Body depth 1.9-2.4 in SL; midline of thorax fully scaled.
Fin spines stout, pungent, and venomous; caudal fin slightly emarginate.

Similar Species

The Foxface Rabbitfish differs from the similar Blackbloth Spotface, Siganus unimaculatus, in lacking the dark spot or irregular blotch on the side.

Species Citation

Amphacanthus vulpinus Schlegel & Müller, 1845, Verhandelingen over de Natuurlijke Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche Overzeesche Bezittingen. Leiden. Zoologie 2: 12. Type locality:  Moluccas, Indonesia. 

Author

Bray, D.J. 2018

Resources

Australian Faunal Directory

Foxface, Siganus vulpinus (Schlegel & Müller 1845)

References


Allen, G.R. 1993. Fishes of Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 44: 67-91.

Allen, G.R. 1996. New records of reef and shore fishes from northwestern Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 18: 109-112.

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Allen, G.R. & Russell, B.C. 1986. Part VII Fishes. 79-103 in Berry, P.F. (ed.). Faunal Surveys of the Rowley Shoals, Scott Reef and Seringapatam Reef, northwestern Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 25: 1-106.

Carpenter, K.E. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 2016. Siganus vulpinus (errata version published in 2017). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T69738933A115471944. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69738933A69742649.en. Downloaded on 21 June 2018.

Coleman, N. 1981. Australian Sea Fishes North of 30°S. Lane Cove, NSW : Doubleday Australia Pty Ltd 297 pp.

Grant, E.M. 1975. Guide to Fishes. Brisbane : Queensland Government, Co-ordinator General’s Department 640 pp.

Gawel, M. & Woodland, D. 1974. Siganus (Lo) uspi, a New Species from Fiji; And a Comparison with the Nominal Species S. vulpinus and S. unimaculatus. Copeia 1974(4): 855-861. doi:10.2307/1442582 Abstract

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp.

Kuiter, R.H. & Debelius, H. 2001. Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and Their Relatives. A comprehensive guide to Acanthuroidei. Chorleywood, U.K. : TMC Publishing 208 pp.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.

Russell, B.C. 1983. Annotated checklist of the coral reef fishes in the Capricorn-Bunker group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Special Publication Series 1: 1-184 figs 1-2

Russell, B.C., Larson, H.K., Hutchins, J.B. & Allen, G.R. 2005. Reef fishes of the Sahul Shelf. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory Supplement 1 2005: 83-105.

Schlegel, H. & Müller, S. 1845. Beschrijving van vier Oost-Indische Zeevisschen beehoorende tot het geslacht Amphacanthus. Verhandelingen over de Natuurlijke Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche Overzeesche Bezittingen. Leiden. Zoologie 2: 9-16 pls 2-3

Woodland, D.J. 1990. Revision of the fish family Siganidae with descriptions of two new species and comments on distribution and biology. Indo-Pacific Fishes 19: 1-136 figs 1-23, 11 pls

Woodland, D.J. 2001. Siganidae. pp. 3627-3650 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37438017

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Danger:Venomous spines

Feeding:1-30 m

Habitat:Aquarium fish (uncommon)

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:25 cm SL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map