Description
Indo-Pacific and eastern Mediterranean Sea poisonous spines, with well-developed venom glands (sting is very painful, but it is generally not considered medically significant in healthy adults) large, dark eyes small, somewhat rabbit-like mouths diurnal herbivores that feed on benthic algae (some opportunistically omnivores) sleep in crevices in the reef matrix at night pelagic spawners nonguarders several presumed species are suspected to actively interbreed
Identification keys to Siganidae

Description

Indo-Pacific and eastern Mediterranean Sea
poisonous spines, with well-developed venom glands (sting is very painful, but it is generally not considered medically significant in healthy adults)
large, dark eyes
small, somewhat rabbit-like mouths
diurnal herbivores that feed on benthic algae (some opportunistically omnivores)
sleep in crevices in the reef matrix at night
pelagic spawners
nonguarders
several presumed species are suspected to actively interbreed

Si l'image tarde à s'afficher, cliquez sur le lien

Identification keys to Siganidae

Etymologies		Source
Siganus	a fish, rabbit fish, by the similarity of the nose	fishbase
corallinus	formé sur le latin "corallium", corail	perso
doliatus	latin doleo = souffrir	perso
guttatus	latin = tacheté, moucheté	Gaffiot
javus	de Java	perso
magnificus	no comment
puellus	latin = jeune enfant	Gaffiot
unimaculatus	à une seule tache	perso
uspi	University of the South Pacific	monaconature
virgatus	Latin = tressé en osier, rayé	Gaffiot
vulpinus	latin = d'un renard	Gaffiot



Siganus corallinus
fishbase / aquaportail / reef-guardian / souslesmers / nomadica / reeflifesurvey / australianmuseum	Synonymes Blue-spotted spinefoot / Poisson-lapin tacheté	Valenciennes, 1835 / LC / ITIS 172338

2015 Lizard Is. (Au) (via Wikimedia Commons)	2011 Maldives by Rainer Kretzberg (via Wikimedia Commons)	1997 Lizard Is. (Au) ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)


2020 Thailand ©Michael Barth (via INaturalist)	2008 Maldives by Rainer Kretzberg (via Wikimedia Commons)	2002 Great Barrier (Au) by Erik Schlogl (via Encyclopedia of Life)


2005 ©BS Thurner Hof (via Wikimedia Commons)	Seychelles ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)


Bali ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)		2016 Raja Ampat by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)


juvénile, 2014 Komodo by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2018 Lembeh by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)	2010 Sabah (Borneo) by Bernard DUPONT (via Encyclopedia of Life)


2012 aquarium (Oceanopolis) by Citron (via Encyclopedia of Life)		2010 Seychelles by Roberto Pillon (via Wikimedia Commons)
Indo-West Pacific	Picot corail	Tropical
jaune tacheté de points bleu pâle sauf sur les nageoires; oeil barré de noir et l'arrière de opercule foncé; adultes avec tache noire sous le menton
5-30m / 20-35cm	les grosses épines des nageoires sont piquantes et venimeuses	calme & paisible, usually in pairs on shallow coral reefs
Siganus corallinus

Siganus doliatus
fishbase / WetWebMedia / recif-france / souslesmers / fishesofaustralia / reeflifesurvey	Synonymes Barred rabbitfish / Barred spinefoot	Guérin-Méneville, 1829-38 / LC / ITIS 172339

juvénile, 2015 Fiji by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2015 Cairns by Ian Shaw (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2015 Fiji by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)


Fiji ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)	Lizard Is (Au) ©Mark Shepherd (via fishesofaustralia)	2018 Raja Ampat ©Ulf Swenson (via INaturalist)


2005 Cairns (Au) by Leonard Low (via Wikimedia Commons)	2015 Cairns (Au) by David Witherall & Josephine Seale (via Wikimedia Commons)	2014 Thailand ©Chaloklum Diving (via Wikimedia Commons)


at night, Heron Island (Au) ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)		Heron Island (Au) ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)


2015 Fiji by Steve L. Martin (via Wikimedia Commons)	2015 Australia by T. Cooper (via Wikimedia Commons)	2018 Lembeh by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)
W-Pacifiq	Picot à lignes bleues	tropical
body blue above, silvery white below; two diagonal brown bands, one from nape through eye to chin a seal brown band, another from base of 4th-5th dorsal spines to just below of pectoral fin; fine blue lines on the head and obvious vertical lines on the upper two-thirds of the sides; horizontal blue lines on the caudal peduncle, and yellow dorsal and caudal fins
<5m / 20-25 cm	venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	couples/paires in loose schools; juveniles form schools
Siganus doliatus




Siganus guttatus
fishbase / reef-guardian / souslesmers / australianmuseum / monaconature / nomadica / reeflifesurvey	Synonymes Orange-spotted spinefoot / Golden Rabbitfish / Poisson-lapin à selle dorée	Bloch, 1787 / LC / ITIS 623214

2014 Tulamben (Bali) ©mda (via INaturalist)	2019 Cebu (Ph) ©mda (via INaturalist)	2019 Dauin (Ph) ©mda (via INaturalist)


2013 Thailand © Rino (via INaturalist)	2014 Lankayan (Borneo) ©mda (via INaturalist)	2014 Lankayan (Borneo) ©mda (via INaturalist)


2016 US-Liberty (Tulamben/Bali) by Lesley Clements (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2015 Bali by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2012 by Elias Levy (via Wikimedia Commons)
v

2013 Andaman (Thailand) ©Rino (via INaturalist)	2009 sea aquarium (Prague) by Karelj (via Wikimedia Commons)


2007 Bali by Jim Greenfield (via fishbase)	2014 Thailand ©Chaloklum Diving (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2009 aquarium (Prague) by Karelj (via Wikimedia Commons)


Bali ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)	2009 Similan Is. (Thailand) by Bernd (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2015 Thailand by Markevich A.I. (via fishbase)
Eastern Indian ocean & Western Pacifiq Australie tropicale	Poisson lapin doré	tropical
dusky blue dorsally, silvery below; bright yellow spot adjacent to last few rays of dorsal fin; head with lines and spots; pectorales translucides
3-6m / 25 cm (jsq 42 cm) venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	dioecism, fécondation externe, openwater, spawning at midnight video	schoolng; active at night, tolerates or even prefers low salinities; can enter and leave rivers with the tide
Siganus guttatus

Siganus javus
fishbase / nomadica / souslesmers / fishesofaustralia	Synonymes Streaked spinefoot / Java rabbitfish	Linnaeus, 1766 / LC / ITIS 172342

2014 Lankayan (Borneo) ©mda (via INaturalist)	2014 Lankayan (Borneo) ©mda (via INaturalist)	2002 Fahl Island (Oman) by Richard Field (via fishbase)


2005 by jon hanson (via Wikimedia Commons)	2002 Fahl Island (Oman) by Richard Field (via fishbase)


2015 Thailand by Markevich A.I. (via fishbase)	2014 Thailand ©Chaloklum Diving (via Wikimedia Commons)	2019 Raja Ampat by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)


2015 Sri Lanka by chamaeleo (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2014 Thailand ©Chaloklum Diving (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2012 Kri (Raja Ampat) ©David R (via Encyclopedia of Life)


2008 Thailand ©David R (via Encyclopedia of Life)	at night, 2018 Thailand ©Chaloklum Diving (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2015 Thailand ©Chaloklum Diving (via Encyclopedia of Life)
Indo-Pacifiq & Australia	Poisson lapin de Java	tropical
bronze above, white on belly and thorax; iris light brown; pectoral fins hyaline, pelvic fins white
2-20m / 33 cm (jsq 53cm ?)	venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	en couple or in small schools of up to 10 individuals or so; calme;
Siganus javus




Siganus magnificus
fishbase / aquaportail / souslesmers / en.wiki	Synonymes Magnificent rabbitfish	Burgess, 1977 / LC / ITIS 623217

By Ealdgyth (via Wikimedia Commons)	2011 aquarium (Wien) by Zoofoto! (via Wikimedia Commons)	2009 sea aquarium (Prague) by Karelj (via Wikimedia Commons)


Similan Islands (Thaïland) ©Allen, G.R. through Randall, John E. (via fishbase)		2020 aquarium by H. Krisp (via Wikimedia Commons)


2009 aquarium (Wien) by Zoofoto! (via Wikimedia Commons)	2013 aquarium (Wien) by Zoofoto! (via Wikimedia Commons)


©Curtis Clark (via Wikimedia Commons)	2009 aquarium (Prague) by Karelj (via Wikimedia Commons)	2007 by Dieter Karner (via Encyclopedia of Life)
Eastern Indian Ocean	Renard d'Andaman	tropical
Ocular band dark chocolate brown to black; a broad white arc running from isthmus and thorax to bases of 2nd - 4th dorsal spines; posterior to white band, body brown or gray dorsally, whitish below; when startled they change to a pale gray color to camouflage themselves
3-30m / 24 cm	venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	adults occur in pairs, sometimes solitary; juveniles secretive in corals
Siganus magnificus

Siganus puellus
fishbase / australianmuseum / recif-france / souslesmers / fishesofaustralia	Synonymes Masked spinefoot	Schlegel, 1852 / LC / ITIS 623221

2014 Komodo ©mda (via INaturalist)	2014 Komodo ©mda (via INaturalist)


2005 by Leonard Low (via Wikimedia Commons)	2018 Lembeh by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)	2007 Bali by Jim Greenfield (via fishbase)


Kwajalein (Marshall Islands) ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)		2009 aquarium (Prague) by Karelj (via Wikimedia Commons)


1999 Great Barrier (Au) by Erik Schlogl (via fishesofaustralia)	Solomon ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)	2005 by Leonard Low (via Wikimedia Commons)


Raja Ampat by David R (via fishesofaustralia)	Komodo ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)	Palau ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)
Indo-WPacifiq	Poisson-lapin masqué	tropical
yellow-orange above to silvery white below; a prominent blackish bar on head, spotted; iris blackish; opercular area silver; dorsal and anal fin spines and rays yellow, spines with white streak
1-30m / 25-38cm video	painfully venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland)	young individuals form large schools; adults occur in pairs
Siganus puellus

Siganus punctatissimus
fishbase / fishesofaustralia / reeflifesurvey	Synonymes Fine-spotted rabbitfish	Schneider & Forster, 1801 / LC / ITIS 623222

2014 Komodo ©mda (via INaturalist)	2018 Lembeh (Sulawesi) by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)	2019 Raja Ampat by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)


2018 Solomon ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)	Solomon ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)	2018 Solomon ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)


2015 Lizard Is (Au) by Anne Hoggett (via Wikimedia Commons)	2019 Solomon ©craigjhowe (via INaturalist)	2019 Raja Ampat by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)
W-Pacifiq	Peppered spinefoot	tropical
head and body dark chocolate brown with purplish hue; iris pale rose-brown, white spotted
12-30m / 25-35cm	venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	usually in pairs
Siganus punctatissimus




Siganus punctatus
fishbase / souslesmers / fishesofaustralia / australianmuseum / reeflifesurvey	Synonymes Goldspotted spinefoot / poisson-lapin moucheté	Schneider & Forster, 1801 / LC / ITIS 172333

2015 Lizard Is (Au) by Anne Hoggett (via Wikimedia Commons)	2007 aquarium (Pittsburg) by Derek Ramsey (via Wikimedia Commons)


Bali by Jim Greenfield (via fishbase)	2019 Raja Ampat by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)	2015 Thailand ©Chaloklum Diving (via Encyclopedia of Life)


2010 Sabah (Borneo) by Bernard DUPONT (via Wikimedia Commons)	2016 Fiji ©Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)


2015 Bali by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)	Tulamben (Bali) ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)	Bali by Jim Greenfield (via fishbase)


2015 US-Liberty (Tulamben/Bali) by Lesley Clements (via Encyclopedia of Life)		2008 Bali ©Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)


Palau ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)	Great Barrier (Au) by Richard Ling (via fishesofaustralia)	Lizard Is (Au) ©Anne Hoggett (via fishesofaustralia)
W-Pacifiq	Picot nid d'abeille	tropical
pattern changes with age; iris silver with 8-10 orange spots; juveniles with a deep brown patch straddling the lateral line; the spot becoming obscured with increase in size
<40m / 30-40cm venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	dioecism, fécondation externe, monogame, pairing, nonguarder	older (>22cm) fish live in pairs, juveniles live in schools (up to about 50 individuals)
Siganus punctatus




Siganus spinus
fishbase / souslesmers / fishesofaustralia	Synonymes Little spinefoot / Poisson-lapin griffoné / Scribbled rabbitfish	Linnaeus, 1758 / LC / ITIS 172331

2018 Morotai (ID) by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)	2016 Fiji ©Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2014 Tulamben (Bali) ©mda (via INaturalist)


2013 Okinawa (J) by Peter Rask Møller (via fishbase)	2012 Fiji ©Paul Asman (via fishbase)	Guam (Mariana Islands) by David Burdick (via Wikimedia Commons)
Indo-WPacifiq	Petit sigan	tropical
can adopt a number of camouflage patterns involving off-white, pale gray to blackish, and various shades of brown; basic pattern consists of a labyrinth of narrow bands with upper half vermiculate, the lower ones tend to meander horizontally; this pattern extends to the fins; iris golden dissected by a chocolate cross; 4-5 irregular off-white bars on caudal peduncle
<20m / 18-28cm	painfully venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	diurnal, in small schools (usually less than 10 individuals)
Siganus spinus




Siganus stellatus
fishbase / souslesmers / fishesofaustralia / nomadica / reeflifesurvey / eol	Synonymes Stellate Rabbitfish / Brown-spotted spinefoot / Poisson lapin marguerite	Forsskål, 1775 / LC / ITIS 172348

2019 Qseir (Egypt) ©mda (via INaturalist)	2011 Hurghada (Egypt) ©mda (via INaturalist)	2011 Hurghada (Egypt) ©mda (via INaturalist)


2017 Soudan ©mda (via INaturalist)	Seychelles by Dennis Polack FishWise Professional (via fishesofaustralia)	2014 Baa Atoll (Maldives) by Ahmed Abdul Rahman (via Wikimedia Commons)


2012 Safaga (Egypt) by Tomasz Kochanowski (via fishbase)		2011 Qseirb (Egypt) by Maria Luigia Nitti (via fishbase)


2011 Marsa Alam (Egypt) by Derek Keats (via Wikimedia Commons)	2011 Egypt by Derek Keats (via Wikimedia Commons)	aquarium (Poland) by Wojciech Wysoczański (via fishbase)


Red Sea ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)		1997 Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) by Richard Field (via fishbase)


2013 Thailand © Rino (via INaturalist)	2015 Safaga (Egypt) by Lesley Clements (via Encyclopedia of Life)	1997 Maldives ©Randall, John E. (via Encyclopedia of Life)


2009 Wadi Gimal (Egypt) by Gianemilio Rusconi (via fishbase)		2015 Tiran (Egypt) by Lesley Clements (via Encyclopedia of Life)


1997 Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) by Richard Field (via fishbase)	1997 Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) by Richard Field (via fishbase)	2011 Mirihi (Maldives) by Rainer Kretzberg (via fishbase)
W Indian & Red sea	Poisson lapin étoilé (sigan marguerite)	tropical
greyish green with head and body covered with chocolate brown spots; background color is yellowish; silvery iris;
<30m / 35-40 cm	venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	juveniles and subadults form schools, adults in pairs
Siganus stellatus




Siganus unimaculatus
fishbase / reef-guardian / aquaportail / fishesofaustralia / nomadica / monaconature	Synonymes Blotched foxface / Blackblotch foxface	Evermann & Seale, 1907 / DD / ITIS 623224

2018 Lembeh (Sulawesi) by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)	2018 aquarium (UK) by Emőke Dénes (via Wikimedia Commons)	2013 aquarium by Rob Upchurch (via Wikimedia Commons)


aquarium (SF) ©Woodland, D.J. through Randall, John E. (via fishbase)	with Odonus niger & Chrysiptera cyanea, 2007 aquarium (Jerusalem) ©SuperJew (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2008 by Cliff (via Wikimedia Commons)


2013 aquarium (Liverpool) by Rept0n1x (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2007 aquarium (Jerusalem) by SuperJew (via Wikimedia Commons)


2017 Philippines by Zsispeo (via fishesofaustralia)	aquarium (DK) by JC Schou (via Biopix)	Okinawa by Patrick Randall (via fishesofaustralia)
WPacifiq & WAustralia	Tête de renard à une tache	tropical
yellow with blackish spot posteriorly on the upper side of the body; dessus de la tête est brun sombre avec une crête médiane blanche; gorge et une partie des joues sont également blanches, mais le début du thorax est à nouveau brun sombre; la zone blanche des joues est constellée de nombreuses ponctuations rougeâtres
1-30m / 20cm	venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	in pairs, small juveniles occur in schools of up to a few hundred individuals, calme, often among staghorn corals
Siganus unimaculatus




Siganus uspi
fishbase / aquaportail / monaconature	Synonymes Bicolored foxface	Gawel & Woodland, 1974 / NT / ITIS 623225

2012 Fiji by Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble (via fishbase)	2012 Fiji by Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble (via fishbase)	2010 Fiji by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)


juvénile, 2015 Fiji by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)	2016 Fiji by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)	Fiji Islands ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)
WPacifiq, Fiji	Poisson renard bicolore	tropical
dark purplish brown except pectoral fins, soft portions of dorsal and anal fins, caudal fin, and posterior part of body which are yellowish; demarcation of 2 colors is sharp
3-30m / 24cm	venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	juveniles form schools, adults occur in pairs
Siganus uspi




Siganus virgatus
fishbase / aquaportail / fishesofaustralia / nomadica / monaconature / souslesmers	Synonymes Barhead spinefoot / Amphacanthe vergeté / Doublebar rabbitfish	Valenciennes, 1835 / LC / ITIS 172350

2019 Philippines ©mda (via INaturalist)	Tulamben (Bali) by Scott Johnson (via fishbase)	2013 by Amada44 (via Wikimedia Commons)


2015 Komodo by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)	Sri Lanka ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)	2013 Thailand by Amada44 (via Encyclopedia of Life)


2009 Exmouth (Au) by Erik Schlogl (via fishesofaustralia)	2015 Exmouth (Au) ©John Sear (via fishesofaustralia)	2020 Exmouth (Au) © Glen Whisson (via fishesofaustralia)


2015 Ningaloo (Au) by John Turnbull (via Encyclopedia of Life)	aquarium (DK) by JC Schou (via Encyclopedia of Life)	aquarium (DK) by JC Schou (via Encyclopedia of Life)
Indo-Pacifiq & NAustralia	Sigan à 2 bandes	tropical
brown band running diagonally from nape to chin; another from 4th-5th dorsal spine base to pectoral fin base; ocular and shoulder bands spotted with blue; a zone of silvery yellow posterior and adjacent to the shoulder band
1-20m / 20-30 cm	venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	adults occur in pairs in coastal reef flats, slopes and estuaries; tolerant of murky waters; juveniles found in mangroves and enter freshwater
Siganus virgatus




Siganus vulpinus
fishbase / reef-guardian / aquaportail / fishfish / fishesofaustralia / australianmuseum	Synonymes Foxface	Schlegel & Müller, 1845 / LC / ITIS 623226

2014 Lankayan (Borneo) ©mda (via INaturalist)		2012 Bunaken (Sulawesi) ©mda (via INaturalist)


2008 aquarium (Prague) by Karelj (via Wikimedia Commons)	2005 Cairns (Au) by Leonard Low (via Wikimedia Commons)	2014 Lankayan (Borneo) ©mda (via INaturalist)


2018 Morotai (ID) by Rickard Zerpe (via Wikimedia Commons)	By Karelj (via Wikimedia Commons)	2006 Micronesia ©Dr. Dwayne Meadows by NOAA/NMFS/OPR (via Wikimedia Commons)


Lembeh ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)	Lembeh ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)	Palau ©Mark Rosenstein (via fishesofaustralia)


2016 Raja Ampat by Mark Rosenstein (via Encyclopedia of Life)	Marshall Islands Kwajalein ©Randall, John E. (via fishbase)	coloration under stress or at nightime, aquarium (Sao Paulo/Brazil) by André Fonseca (via fishbase)
W-Pacifiq	Picot renard	tropical
dark chocolate ocular band running in an arc from base of 1st dorsal spine to chin; narrow white blaze on midline of head profile; thorax dark chocolate; a broad white zone behind ocular bar on trunk; remainder of body yellow-orange
1-30m / 20-25 cm	venomous (Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland): painful stings	solitaire (qqx pairs); juveniles and subadults occasionally occur in large schools; calme; territorial
Siganus vulpinus

MàJ 15/03/2023