Masked spinefoot

{{Short description|Species of fish}} {{Speciesbox | image = Siganus puellus edit.jpg | image_caption = | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name= iucn>{{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}}</ref> | taxon = Siganus puellus | authority = (Schlegel, 1852) | synonyms = * ''Amphacanthus puellus'' Schlegel, 1852 * ''Teuthis puella'' (Schlegel, 1852) * ''Amphacanthus cyanotaenia'' Bleeker, 1853 * ''Amphacanthus ocularis'' Thiollière, 1857 * ''Siganus zoniceps'' Seale, 1906 * ''Siganus sevenlineatus'' Borodin, 1930 * ''Siganus hexacanthus'' Barton, 1950 * ''Amphacanthus hexacanthus'' (Barton, 1950) | synonyms_ref = <ref name = Fishbase>{{FishBase|Siganus|puellus|month=June|year=2021}}</ref> }} 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, a rabbitfish belonging to the family 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 in 1852 as ''Ampacanthus puellus'' by the German zoologist Hermann Schlegel with the type locality given as Ternate in the Molucca Islands in Indonesia.<ref name = CofF>{{Cof genus | genus = Siganus | access-date = 30 August 2021}}</ref> The specific name ''puellus'' means "a small boy". Schlegel did not explain why he chose that name.<ref name = ETYFish>{{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}}</ref>

==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. 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.<ref name = FAO>{{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}}</ref> Like all rabbitfishes, the dorsal fin has 13 spines and 10 soft rays while the anal fin has 7 spines and 9 soft rays.<ref name = Fishbase/> The fin spines are robust and hold venom glands.<ref name = FofA>{{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}}</ref> The caudal fin is strongly forked, especially in adults, with acutely pointed lobes.<ref name = FAO/> This species attains a maximum total length of {{cvt|38|cm}}, although {{cvt|25|cm}} is more typical.<ref name = Fishbase/> 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.<ref name = AM>{{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/}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat== The masked spinefoot has a wide Indo-West Pacific range which extends from the Cocos-Keeling Islands and the outer reefs of northwestern Shelf of Western Australia through Indonesia to the Ryukyu Islands and Kiribati, to southern Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. It is found to depths down to {{cvt|30|m}}<ref name = iucn/> in the shallow waters of clear lagoon rich in corals and on seaward reefs.<ref name = Fishbase/>

==Biology== Masked spinefoot juveniles school, especially over areas dominated by ''Acropora'' branching corals.<ref name = FofA/> 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 while the adults feeds on macroalgae and on sponges of the order Monaxonida.<ref name = iucn/> This species produces venom in the spines of its fins.<ref name = Fishbase/> In a study of the venom of a congener it was found that rabbitfish venom was similar to the venom of stonefishes.<ref name = venom>{{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}}</ref>

==Hunting== The masked spinefoot is caught by spearfishing and in fish traps and small amounts are regularly found in fish markets.<ref name =FAO/> It makes occasional appearances in the aquarium trade.<ref name = Saltcorner>{{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}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons}} * {{SealifePhotos|273920}}

Category:Siganidae Category:Fish described in 1852 Category:Taxa named by Hermann Schlegel