The bicolored foxface (Siganus uspi), also known as the Uspi rabbitfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found at coral reefs in Fiji in the Pacific Ocean. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.
| Bicolored foxface | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Siganidae |
| Genus: | Siganus |
| Species: | S. uspi
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| Binomial name | |
| Siganus uspi | |
Taxonomy
editThe bicolored foxface was first formally described in 1974 by Michael J. Gawel & David J. Woodland with the type locality given as Joske Reef, 3 kilometers to the west of Suva on Viti Levu, Fiji.[2] The specific name adds a Latin possessive “i” to the initials of the University of the South Pacific as that institution facilitated the authors’ studies of fishes in the South Pacific and as a thank you to the people of the region who support the University.[3]
Description
editThe bicolored foxface has a laterally compressed deep body, its depth fitting roughly a little over twice into its standard length with a weakly forked caudal fin. The forward nostril opening is a very short tube which expands slightly to the rear of the nostril and it has a procumbent spine in front of the dorsal fin.[4] Like all rabbitfishes, has 13 spines and 10 soft rays in the dorsal fin while the anal fin has 7 spines and 9 soft rays. The fin spines hold venom glands. This species attains a maximum total length of 24 cm (9.4 in). The overall colour is dark purplish brown apart from the yellow pectoral fins, soft rayed part of the dorsal and anal fins, the caudal fin, and rear part of body, the delineation of the 2 colours is clear.[5]
Distribution and habitat
editThe bicolored foxface has only been recorded from Fiji, although there have been reports of vagrants off New Caledonia, albeit unconfirmed. They are found at depths between 3 and 20 m (9.8 and 65.6 ft) in areas of hard corals on the slopes of drop-offs at the reef edges or in the deeper pools within the rest of reefs.[1]
Biology
editThe bicolored foxface is a herbivore which feeds on seaweeds. The adults live in pairs while the juveniles form schools. 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.[6]
Conservation
editThe bicolored foxface is a species of shallow water which is endemic to Fiji and its population is probably very fragmented and it is apparently an uncommon to rare species. It favours coral reefsand so may be suffering from habitat loss in parts of its range which may lead to population declines. Coastal development and collection for the aquarium trade will also impact the population. The IUCN consider that because of its small range and continued habitat decline, it is assessed as Near Threatened.[1]
Utilisation
editThe bicolored foxface is collected for the aquarium trade using drive-in nets.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Carpenter, K.E. X & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Siganus uspi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T69738927A115471770. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69738927A69742644.en. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Siganus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 7 September 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 21 August 2021.
- ^ M. Gawel and D.J. Woodland (1974). "Siganus (Lo) Uspi, a New Species from Fiji; And a Comparison with the Nominal Species S. Vulpinus and S. Unimaculatus". Copeia. 1974 (4): 855–61. doi:10.2307/1442582.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Siganus uspi". FishBase. June 2021 version.
- ^ 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.
External links
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- Photos of Bicolored foxface on Sealife Collection