The black foxface (Siganus niger) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is endemic to Tonga in the western Pacific Ocean.
| Black foxface | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Siganidae |
| Genus: | Siganus |
| Species: | S. niger
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| Binomial name | |
| Siganus niger Woodland, 1990
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Taxonomy
editThe black foxface was first formally described in 1990 by the ichthyologist David J. Woodland with the type locality given as Euakafa Island in the Vava'u Group of Tonga.[2] This species is sometimes placed with the other four species of "foxfaced rabbitfishes" in a subgenus of the genus Siganus called Lo.[3] The specific name niger means black, a reference to the dark colour of this species.[4]
Description
editThe black foxface, like almost all of the other rabbitfishes, has 13 spines and 10 soft rays in its dorsal fin and 7 spines and 9 soft rays in its anal fin. It grows to a total length of 22 cm (8.7 in).[5] The overall colour is almost completely black but the pectoral fins are yellow as is the margin of the soft rayed part of the dorsal fin, the anal fin and the caudal fin. There is a broad white stripe on the gill cover which is overlain with a vermiculated pattern.[6]
Distribution and habitat
editThe black foxface is endemic to Tonga in the Western Pacific Ocean, although it is only common in the northernmost Tongan island group of Vava'u. It is found at depths between 2 and 15 m (6 ft 7 in and 49 ft 3 in) in the visvinity of drop offs at the edges of coral reefs.[1] This species shows a preference for areas where there are staghorn or fire corals, and where there rubble mounds made up of flat and staghorn corals.[5]
Biology
editThe black foxface lives in pairs as adults, the juveniles are thought to school. It feeds on macroalgae.[5] They are known to change colour and pattern when alarmed.[6] This species produces venom in the spines of its fins.[5] In a study of the venom of a congener it was found that rabbitfish venom was similar to the venom of stonefishes.[7]
Utilisation
editThe black foxface appears in the aquarium trade.[6] It is also targeted by spear fishers and the catch is sold fresh.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Carpenter, K.E. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Siganus niger". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T69690275A115470334. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69690275A69690359.en. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Siganus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ Henry C. Schultz III. "You Silly Rabbit: The Genus Siganus". Reefkeeping. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (12 January 2021). "Order Acanthuriformes (part 2): Families Ephippidae, Leiognathidae, Scatophagidae, Antigoniidae, Siganidae, Caproidae, Luvaridae, Zanclidae and Acanthuridae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Siganus niger". FishBase. June 2021 version.
- ^ a b c Jake Adams (11 June 2012). "Black Foxface, Siganus niger: you haven't seen a rabbitfish like this". reefbuilders. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ 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. 140: 139–146. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.10.015. PMID 29055787.