Animal Species:Masked Rabbitfish, Siganus puellus (Schlegel, 1852)

Alternative Name/s

Blue-lined Rabbitfish, Blue-lined Spinefoot, Masked Rabbit-fish, Masked Spinefoot

Identification

The Masked Rabbitfish can be recognised by its distinctive colouration. The body is yellow dorsally grading through pale blue to white below. It is covered with wavy blue lines that are vertical anteriorly and horizontal posteriorly. The lines are replaced by blue spots ventrally. A dark band passes diagonally through the eye from the chin to the nape. Above the eye, the band is broken into black spots. The fins are yellow.

Size range

The species grows to 38 cm in length.

Distribution

It is found in tropical marine waters of the eastern Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific. In Australia it is known from off north-western Western Australia and from northern to southern Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Masked Rabbitfish specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:

puellus

Genus:

Siganus

Family:

Siganidae

Order:

Perciformes

Class:

Actinopterygii

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Phylum:

Chordata

Kingdom:

Animalia

What does this mean?

References

1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
2. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
3. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 15 March 2013

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Masked Rabbitfish, Siganus puellus, Siganidae, yellow, white, grey, black, brown, 'normal fish', 30 cm - 1 m, dots/spots, stripes or bands, complex pattern, tropical marine, adult,