Siganus argenteus, Streamlined spinefoot : fisheries, aquarium

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Siganus argenteus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

Streamlined spinefoot
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Siganus argenteus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Siganus argenteus (Streamlined spinefoot)
Siganus argenteus
Picture by Randall, J.E.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Acanthuriformes (Surgeonfishes) > Siganidae (Rabbitfishes)
Etymology: Siganus: Latin, siganus = a fish, rabbit fish; by the similarity of the nose (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Quoy & Gaimard.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 40 m (Ref. 9813), usually 1 - 30 m (Ref. 27115). Tropical; 25°C - 29°C (Ref. 27115); 30°N - 30°S, 32°E - 128°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Pitcairn. Often the only siganid present on remote islands like Pitcairn, Rapa and Line.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?, range 20 - ? cm
Max length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9813); common length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9813)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. This species is distinguished by the following characters: juveniles and adults with body oval and compressed, slender, fusiform, greatest body depth 2.4-3 in SL; anterior nostril with a long flap reaching to or past posterior nostril; last dorsal-fin spine very short, 2.6-3.5 times in longest dorsal-fin spine; last anal-fin spine shortest, 2.1-3.1 times in longest (second or third) anal-fin spine; caudal fin deeply forked. Colour of body blue or greyish above, silvery below; variations in markings (spots, curved lines); head and trunk usually covered with small yellow spots, bars, and commas, much larger than interspaces and quarter to 1/2 size of pupil; spots usually joining to form horizontal wavy lines, particularly on lower sides; yellow pectoral-fin axil, usually yellow stripes along base of dorsal fin and a dark brown bar immediately posterior to the upper opercular margin; colours fade rapidly at death so that head and trunk may be solid brown (Ref. 9813, 90102).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Inhabits coastal and inner reef slopes and lagoons. Usually occurs in large schools that swim fast and well above the substrate, occasionally all diving down to the bottom to feed (Ref. 48637). Juveniles and adults occur in small schools (2-100) around coral reefs, typically in surge zone at reef edge. Juveniles live near the surface in dense aggregations up to several km offshore, migrating to reef flats just prior to metamorphosis. Feeds on algae (Ref. 30573). Juveniles and adults not frequently found in markets; but prejuveniles form a brief but important fishery when migrating on to the reef flat, e.g. combined catch (with Siganus spinus of 16 tonnes in one season in Guam. Prejuveniles eaten fresh, pickled in brine or made into fish paste (Ref. 9813). Consumed as food although it is known to be occasionally poisonous (Ref. 4537). Used in Chinese medicine (Ref. 12166).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Spawn in group (Ref. 240).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Woodland, David J. | Collaborators

Woodland, D.J., 1990. Revision of the fish family Siganidae with descriptions of two new species and comments on distribution and biology. Indo-Pac. Fish. (19):136 p. (Ref. 1419)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 10 March 2015

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Venomous (Ref. 4537)





Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
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Stocks
Ecology
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Food consumption
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References
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Otoliths
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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | National databases | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 24.6 - 29, mean 27.8 °C (based on 1374 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01413 (0.01133 - 0.01761), b=2.99 (2.94 - 3.04), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  2.0   ±0.0 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.75; tm=1).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low vulnerability (22 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   High.
Nutrients (Ref. 124155):  Calcium = 36.5 [18.7, 87.0] mg/100g; Iron = 0.714 [0.345, 1.487] mg/100g; Protein = 19 [18, 20] %; Omega3 = 0.132 [0.075, 0.234] g/100g; Selenium = 24.1 [10.7, 52.0] μg/100g; VitaminA = 37.9 [11.4, 131.2] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.51 [0.60, 2.86] mg/100g (wet weight); based on nutrient studies.