# Masked spinefoot
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{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Siganus puellus edit.jpg
| image_caption =
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = [{{cite iucn | author1 = Carpenter, K.E. | author2 = Smith-Vaniz, W.F. | name-list-style = amp | year = 2016 | title = Siganus puellus |errata=2017 | article-number = e.T69738690A115470521 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69738690A69742619.en | access-date = 23 July 2020}}]
| taxon = Siganus puellus
| authority = ([Schlegel](/source/Hermann_Schlegel), 1852)
| synonyms = * ''Amphacanthus puellus'' Schlegel, 1852
* ''Teuthis puella'' (Schlegel, 1852)
* ''Amphacanthus cyanotaenia'' [Bleeker](/source/Pieter_Bleeker), 1853
* ''Amphacanthus ocularis'' [Thiollière](/source/Victor_Thiolli%C3%A8re), 1857
* ''Siganus zoniceps'' [Seale](/source/Alvin_Seale), 1906
* ''Siganus sevenlineatus'' [Borodin](/source/Nicholas_A._Borodin), 1930
* ''Siganus hexacanthus'' [Barton](/source/Otis_Barton), 1950
* ''Amphacanthus hexacanthus'' (Barton, 1950)
| synonyms_ref = [{{FishBase|Siganus|puellus|month=June|year=2021}}]
}}
The '''masked spinefoot''' ('''''Siganus puellus'''''), also known as the '''masked rabbitfish''', '''bluelined rabbitfish''', '''blue-lined spinefoot''', '''decorated rabbitfish''' or '''maiden spinefoot''', is a species of marine [ray-finned fish](/source/ray-finned_fish), a [rabbitfish](/source/rabbitfish) belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Siganidae](/source/Siganidae). It occurs in shallow, coral-rich areas of clear lagoons and seaward reefs of the Indo-West Pacific region.
==Taxonomy==
The masked spinefoot was first formally [described](/source/Species_description) in 1852 as ''Ampacanthus puellus'' by the German zoologist Hermann Schlegel with the [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) given as [Ternate](/source/Ternate) in the [Molucca Islands](/source/Molucca_Islands) in Indonesia.[{{Cof genus | genus = Siganus | access-date = 30 August 2021}}] The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)) ''puellus'' means "a small boy". Schlegel did not explain why he chose that name.[{{cite web | url = https://etyfish.org/acanthuriformes2/| title = Order Acanthuriformes (part 2): Families Ephippidae, Leiognathidae, Scatophagidae, Antigoniidae, Siganidae, Caproidae, Luvaridae, Zanclidae and Acanthuridae | work = The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database | editor1= Christopher Scharpf | editor2 = Kenneth J. Lazara | name-list-style = amp |date = 12 January 2021 | access-date = 30 August 2021 | publisher = Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara}}]
==Description==
The masked spinefoot has a compressed body. The depth of its body fits between 2.3 and 2.6 times into its [standard length](/source/standard_length). It has a symmetrical wedge-shaped head with a slightly protruding snout. The front nostril is flanged, the flange growing in to a triangle shaped flap to the rear. There is a recumbent spine to the front of the [dorsal fin](/source/dorsal_fin).[{{cite book | editor1 = Carpenter, K.E. | editor2 = Niem, V.H. | name-list-style = and | title =
FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles, sea turtles, sea snakes and marine mammal | publisher = FAO Rome | year = 2001 | chapter = Siganidae | author = D.J. Woodland | page = 3640 | isbn = 92-5-104587-9 |url = http://www.fao.org/3/y0870e/y0870e27.pdf}}] Like all rabbitfishes, the [dorsal fin](/source/dorsal_fin) has 13 spines and 10 soft rays while the [anal fin](/source/anal_fin) has 7 spines and 9 soft rays.[ The fin spines are robust and hold venom glands.][{{cite web | url = https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4737#summary | author = Bray, D.J. | year = 2018 | title = ''Siganus puellus'' | work = Fishes of Australia | access-date = 31 August 2021 | publisher = Museums Victoria}}] The caudal fin is strongly forked, especially in adults, with acutely pointed lobes.[ This species attains a maximum total length of {{cvt|38|cm}}, although {{cvt|25|cm}} is more typical.][ The upper body is yellow shading to light blue to white on the lower body. It is marked with sinuous blue lines that are vertical towards the head and horizontal towards the tail. These are replaced with blue spots towards the abdomen. There is a broad diagonal black band that runs through the eye and extends from the chin to the nape. Over the eye, this band breaks up into black spots. The colour of the fins is yellow.][{{cite web | author = Mark McGrouther | date = 31 March 2021 | title = Masked Rabbitfish, ''Siganus puellus'' (Schlegel, 1852) | access-date = 31 August 2021 | publisher = Australian Museum | url = https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/masked-rabbitfish-siganus-puellus/}}]
==Distribution and habitat==
The masked spinefoot has a wide [Indo-West Pacific](/source/Indo-West_Pacific) range which extends from the [Cocos-Keeling Islands](/source/Cocos-Keeling_Islands) and the outer reefs of northwestern Shelf of [Western Australia](/source/Western_Australia) through Indonesia to the [Ryukyu Islands](/source/Ryukyu_Islands) and [Kiribati](/source/Kiribati), to southern [Great Barrier Reef](/source/Great_Barrier_Reef) and [New Caledonia](/source/New_Caledonia). It is found to depths down to {{cvt|30|m}}[ in the shallow waters of clear lagoon rich in corals and on seaward reefs.][
==Biology==
Masked spinefoot juveniles [school](/source/School_(fish)), especially over areas dominated by ''[Acropora](/source/Acropora)'' branching corals.][ The adults live in pairs on the reef, pairing starting at lengths around {{cvt|7|cm}} when they move into deeper water on the reef and near drop offs. The juveniles feed on [filamentous algae](/source/filamentous_algae) while the adults feeds on [macroalgae](/source/macroalgae) and on [sponge](/source/sponge)s of the [order](/source/Order_(biology)) [Monaxonida](/source/Monaxonida).][ This species produces [venom](/source/venom) in the spines of its fins.][ In a study of the venom of a [congener](/source/Congener_(biology)) it was found that rabbitfish venom was similar to the venom of [stonefishes](/source/stonefishes).][{{cite journal | author1 = Kiriake A | author2 = Ishizaki S | author3 = Nagashima Y | author4 = Shiomi K | title = Occurrence of a stonefish toxin-like toxin in the venom of the rabbitfish ''Siganus fuscescens'' | journal = Toxicon | year = 2017 | volume = 140 | pages = 139–146 | doi = 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.10.015 | pmid = 29055787}}]
==Hunting==
The masked spinefoot is caught by [spearfishing](/source/spearfishing) and in [fish trap](/source/fish_trap)s and small amounts are regularly found in [fish market](/source/fish_market)s.[ It makes occasional appearances in the [aquarium](/source/Fishkeeping) trade.][{{cite web | url = http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=1502 | title = ''Siganus puellus'' | access-date = 31 August 2021 | publisher = Bob Goemans | work = Saltcorner}}]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons}}
* {{SealifePhotos|273920}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1043734}}
Category:Siganidae
Category:Fish described in 1852
Category:Taxa named by Hermann Schlegel
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Masked spinefoot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masked_spinefoot) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masked_spinefoot?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.