# Vermiculated spinefoot > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Vermiculated_spinefoot > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Vermiculated_spinefoot.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermiculated_spinefoot > Source revision: 1355345520 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Species of fish Vermiculated spinefoot Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Acanthuriformes Family: Siganidae Genus: Siganus Species: S. vermiculatus Binomial name Siganus vermiculatus (Valenciennes, 1835) Synonyms[2] Amphacanthus vermiculatus Valenciennes, 1835 Teuthis vermiculata (Valenciennes, 1835) Teuthis vermiculatus (Valenciennes, 1835) Amphacanthus russelii Valenciennes, 1835 Siganus shortlandensis Seale, 1906 The **vermiculated spinefoot** (***Siganus vermiculatus***), also known as **maze rabbitfish**, **scribbled spinefoot** or **vermiculate rabbitfish**, 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). Like all rabbitfishes, it has venomous spines on the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins. It is a reef associated fish species of the [Indo-West Pacific](/source/Indo-West_Pacific) region. It is a common commercially important fish in many tropical countries. *Siganus vermiculatus* from Mangaluru, Karnataka, India ## Taxonomy The vermiculated spinefoot was first formally [described](/source/Species_description) in 1835 as *Amphacanthus vermiculatus* by the French [zoologist](/source/Zoologist) [Achille Valenciennes](/source/Achille_Valenciennes) with the [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) given as [New Guinea](/source/New_Guinea).[3] The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)) *vermiculatus* refers to the vermiculated or maze pattern on the bodies of the living fish.[4] ## Description In Indonesia The vermiculated spinefoot has a deep and laterally compressed body which has a depth which fits 1.9 to 2.2 times into its [standard length](/source/Standard_length). The nape is bulging with a slight indentation above each eye. The deep, blunt snout also bulges. The front nostril has a flange which is slightly widened to its rear. There is a recumbent spine to the front of the [dorsal fin](/source/Dorsal_fin).[5] Like all rabbitfishes, the dorsal fin has 13 spines and 10 [soft rays](/source/Soft_rays), while the [anal fin](/source/Anal_fin) has 7 spines and 9 soft rays. The fin spines hold venom glands.[2] The [caudal fin](/source/Caudal_fin) is emarginate.[5] This species attains a maximum total length of 45 cm (18 in), although 30 cm (12 in) is more typical.[2] The body is covered in a grey and whitish complex maze-like or reticulate pattern with a patch of yellow on the head and spots on the caudal fin.[6] ## Distribution and habitat In [Fiji](/source/Fiji) The vermiculated spinefoot is found from southern India and Sri Lanka eastwards into the western Pacific Ocean as far east as [Palau](/source/Palau) and [Guam](/source/Guam), south to Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia and Australia.[1] In Australia it has been reported from [Darnley Island](/source/Darnley_Island) and [Townsville](/source/Townsville) in northern [Queensland](/source/Queensland) but its presence in Australian waters needs to be confirmed.[6] It is found in shallow, coastal waters, especially estuaries. Both adults and juveniles are commonest[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] shallow, sediment-laden waters in [mangroves](/source/Mangroves), following the tide in and out. Adults are occasionally encountered in clear water in the vicinity of reefs or above sandy substrates.[6] ## Biology Juvenile The vermiculated spinefoot browses algae which is growing on seagrass, the roost of mangrove and on rocks. The adults gather in aggregations of several hundred individuals to spawn in the summer, the pawn in pairs laying eggs which adhere to the substrate.[2] The lunar cycle governs spawning behaviour.[1] ### Venom This species produces [venom](/source/Venom) in the spines of its fins.[2] In a study of the venom of a [congener](/source/Congener_(biology)) (*[S. fuscescens](/source/Siganus_fuscescens)*) it was found that rabbitfish venom was similar to the venom of [stonefishes](/source/Stonefishes).[7] ## Fisheries The vermiculated spinefoot is a large fast growing species and is sold fresh in markets in India, Sri Lanka and Fiji where it commpans[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] premium prices.[1] They are caught using nets and fixed traps.[5] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_1-3) Larson, H. (2012). ["*Siganus vermiculatus*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/196436/2457345). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2012** e.T196436A2457345. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T196436A2457345.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T196436A2457345.en). Retrieved 19 November 2021. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FishBase_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FishBase_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FishBase_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FishBase_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FishBase_2-4) [Froese, Rainer](/source/Rainer_Froese); [Pauly, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Pauly) (eds.). ["*Siganus vermiculatus*"](https://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Siganus&speciesname=vermiculatus). *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*. June 2021 version. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF_3-0)** Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Species in the genus *Siganus*"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=species&genus=Siganus). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 7 September 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-ETYFish_4-0)** Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (12 January 2021). ["Order Acanthuriformes (part 2): Families Ephippidae, Leiognathidae, Scatophagidae, Antigoniidae, Siganidae, Caproidae, Luvaridae, Zanclidae and Acanthuridae"](https://etyfish.org/acanthuriformes2/). *The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database*. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 7 September 2021. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FAO_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FAO_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FAO_5-2) D.J. Woodland (2001). "Siganidae". In Carpenter, K.E. and Niem, V.H. (eds.). [*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*](http://www.fao.org/3/y0870e/y0870e28.pdf) (PDF). FAO Rome. p. 3646. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [92-5-104587-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/92-5-104587-9). 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FofA_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FofA_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FofA_6-2) Bray, D.J. (2018). ["*Siganus vermiculatus*"](https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1888#summary). *Fishes of Australia*. [Museums Victoria](/source/Museums_Victoria). Retrieved 7 September 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-venom_7-0)** Kiriake A; Ishizaki S; Nagashima Y; Shiomi K (2017). "Occurrence of a stonefish toxin-like toxin in the venom of the rabbitfish *Siganus fuscescens*". *[Toxicon](/source/Toxicon)*. **140**: 139–146. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.10.015](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.toxicon.2017.10.015). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [29055787](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29055787). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [205439876](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:205439876). - [Animaldiversity Web](http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Siganus_vermiculatus/classification/) - [Science direct](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0044848676901472) ## External links - Photos of [Vermiculated spinefoot](https://sealifecollection.org/taxon/273927) in the Sealife Collection Taxon identifiers Siganus vermiculatus Wikidata: Q2555491 AFD: Siganus_vermiculatus BioLib: 149683 BOLD: 258813 CoL: 6YN6J EoL: 46577167 FishBase: 4561 GBIF: 2390251 iNaturalist: 188399 IRMNG: 10157870 ITIS: 172334 IUCN: 196436 NCBI: 225761 Observation.org: 793704 OBIS: 273927 Open Tree of Life: 774208 TaiCOL: t0032835 WoRMS: 273927 Amphacanthus vermiculatus Wikidata: Q107326053 CoL: CYPG GBIF: 5210376 ITIS: 1146214 WoRMS: 316263 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Vermiculated spinefoot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermiculated_spinefoot) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermiculated_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.