Scientific Name
Siganus sutor

Common Name
Shoemaker spinefoot

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9 - 10; Vertebrae: 23. Coloration highly variable; influenced by substrate's color and mood of the fish. Upper greenish to sandy brown, paler below. Color patterns extend to the fins. Spines slender, pungent and venomous. Preopercular angle 88?-98?; cheeks with few scales; midline of thorax without scales between pelvic ridges. Long flap of anterior nostril shortens with increasing age.

Classification

Classified By

Valenciennes, 1835

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Rabbitfishes (Siganidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Indian Ocean

Distribution

Western Indian Ocean: Kenya to Knysna, South Africa and around islands in the western Indian Ocean. Perhaps occurring in the Gulf of Aden.

Range

30°N - 45°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

20 m

Depth To - meters

50 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 20 - 50 m (Ref. 28016)

Trophic Level

2 s.e. 0.00 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

45.0 cm

Common Length

30.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (24 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tmax=2.5)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 4407)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated