Scientific Name
Siganus fuscescens

Common Name
Mottled spinefoot

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. Body olive green or brown above, silvery below; fish frequently with a dark patch below origin of lateral line. Adults become mottled when frightened. Slender, pungent, venomous spines. Preopercular angle 89?-95?. Lower half to 2/3 of cheeks commonly covered with weak, scattered scales. Midline of thorax between pelvic ridges. Differs from S. argenteus in details of coloration and less deeply forked tail (Ref. 37816).

Classification

Classified By

Houttuyn, 1782

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Rabbitfishes (Siganidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Pacific

Distribution

Western Pacific: southern Korea, southern Japan, ?Ogasawara Islands, Taiwan, southern China, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Andaman Islands, Indonesia, Philippines, Yap, Palau, Pohnpei (Caroline Islands), Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Australia. Often misidentified as Siganus canaliculatus (Ref. 2334).

Range

42°N - 37°S, 90°E - 171°E

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

50 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range ? - 50 m (Ref. 9813)

Trophic Level

2.27999997138977 s.e. 0.13 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

40.0 cm

Common Length

25.0 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; aquaculture: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (21 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 4716)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated