Scientific Name
Siganus vulpinus

Common Name
Foxface

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. A dark chocolate ocular band running in an arc from base of 1st dorsal spine to chin; a narrow white blaze on midline of head profile; thorax dark chocolate; a broad white zone behind ocular bar on trunk; remainder of body yellow-orange. Stout, pungent, venomous spines. Caudal fin only slightly incised. Fully scaled midline of thorax. Preopercular angle 119? (111?-120?). Variable cheek scaling; usually overlapping scales, 8-10 rows deep below center of orbit; occasionally, few scattered scales; area fully scaled from lower edge of orbit 2 angle of mouth. S. vulpinus is very closely related to and possibly the same as S. unimaculatus, which has a large black blotch on the sides beneath the soft dorsal rays (Ref. 37816).

Classification

Classified By

Schlegel & M?ller, 1845

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Rabbitfishes (Siganidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Pacific

Distribution

Western Pacific: western Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea, Great Barrier Reef, Vanuatu (sighting), New Caledonia, Caroline Islands, Marshall Islands, Nauru (sighting) and Kiribati (sighting). Recently recorded from Tonga (Ref. 53797).

Range

30°N - 30°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

26 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

30 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range ? - 30 m (Ref. 58652), usually 1 - 30 m (Ref. 27115)

Trophic Level

2.68 s.e. 0.30 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

25.0 cm

Common Length

20.0 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: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (23 of 100)

Resilience

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

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 4690)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated