View source for Foxface rabbitfish

{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Siganus vulpinus 2.jpg
| image_caption = Adult, day colour
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name= iucn>{{cite iucn | author1 = Carpenter, K.E. | author2 = Smith-Vaniz, W.F. | year = 2016 | title = ''Siganus vulpinus'' |errata=2017 | page = e.T69738933A115471944 | doi =  10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69738933A69742649.en | access-date = 24 July 2020}}</ref>
| taxon = Siganus vulpinus
| authority = ([[Hermann Schlegel|Schlegel]] & [[Salomon Müller|S. Müller]], 1845)
| synonyms =* ''Amphacanthus vulpinus'' <small>Schlegel & Müller, 1845</small>
* ''Lo vulpinus'' <small>(Schlegel & Müller, 1845)</small>
* ''Teuthis vulpina'' <small>(Schlegel & Müller, 1845)</small>
* ''Teuthis vulpinus'' <small>(Schlegel & Müller, 1845)</small>
* ''Teuthis tubulosa'' <small>[[Laurens Theodor Gronow|Gronow]], 1854</small>
| synonyms_ref = <ref name = FishBase>{{FishBase|Siganus|vulpinus|month=June|year=2021}}</ref>
}}

The '''foxface rabbitfish''' ('''''Siganus vulpinus'''''), also known as the '''foxface''', '''black-face rabbit fish, badger fish''' or the '''common foxface''' is a species of marine [[ray-finned fish]], a [[rabbitfish]] belonging to the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Siganidae]]. It is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It can be found in the [[Fishkeeping|aquarium]] trade.

==Taxonomy==
The foxface rabbitfish was first formally described as ''Amphacanthus vulpinus'' in 1845 by the German zoologists [[Hermann Schlegel]] & [[Salomon Müller]] with the [[Type locality (biology)|type locality]] given as [[Ternate Island]] one of the [[Molucca Islands]] in Indonesia.<ref name = CofF>{{Cof genus | genus = Siganus | access-date = 7 September 2021}}</ref> The blotched foxface (''[[Siganus unimaculatus|S. unimaculatus]]'') differs from ''S. vulpinus'' in possessing a large black spot below the soft-rayed part of the [[dorsal fin]]. It is [[sympatric]] and not [[phylogenetic]]ally distinct, and though these two might be recently evolved species, they may be just colour [[Polymorphism (biology)|morph]]s and should arguably to be united under the scientific name ''S. vulpinus''. under the scientific name ''S. vulpinus''.<ref name = kuriiwaetal2007>{{cite journal | author1 = Kaoru Kuriiwaa | author2 =Naoto Hanzawab | author3 = Tetsuo Yoshinoc| author4 = Seishi Kimurad | author5 = Mutsumi Nishida | name-list-style = amp | year = 2007 | title = Phylogenetic relationships and natural hybridization in rabbitfishes (Teleostei: Siganidae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 45 | issue =1 | pages = 69–80 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2007.04.018| pmid =17590356 }}</ref> The [[Specific name (zoology)|specific name]] ''vulpinus'' means "fox-like", Schlegel and Müller did not explain what this alluded to but it is thought to be the pointed snout.<ref name = ETYFish>{{cite web | url = https://etyfish.org/acanthuriformes2/| title = Order Acanthuriformes (part 2): Families Ephippidae, Leiognathidae, Scatophagidae, Antigoniidae, Siganidae, Caproidae, Luvaridae, Zanclidae and Acanthuridae | work = The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database | editor1= Christopher Scharpf | editor2 = Kenneth J. Lazara | name-list-style = amp |date = 12 January 2021 | access-date = 7 September 2021 | publisher = Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara}}</ref>

==Description==
The foxface rabbitfish has a compressed body which has a depth which fits into its standard length 1.9 to 2.4 times. The dorsal profile of the head is steep to the rear of the eye and there is an indentation between the eyes and a tubular snout. The caudal fin is weakly forked. There is a procumbent spine in the nape to the front of the dorsal fin.<ref name = FAO>{{cite book | editor1 = Carpenter, K.E. | editor2 =  Niem, V.H. | name-list-style = and | title =
FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles, sea turtles, sea snakes and marine mammal | publisher = FAO Rome | year = 2001 | chapter = Siganidae | author = D.J. Woodland | page = 3647 | isbn = 92-5-104587-9 |url = http://www.fao.org/3/y0870e/y0870e28.pdf}}</ref> Like all rabbitfishes, the dorsal fin has 13 spines and 10 soft rays 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 {{cvt|25|cm}}, although {{cvt|20|cm}} is more typical.<ref name = FishBase/> The main colour on this rabbitfish is vivid yellow with white on the head and front part of the body, however foxfaces can camouflage when experiencing threat, quickly changing colour to a dark brown. There is a black band running backwards from the mouth through the eye to the start of the dorsal fin and there is a black area on the breast that runs upwards to just above the base of the pectoral-fin, tapering as it does so.<ref name = FofA>{{cite web | author = Dianne J. Bray | title = ''Siganus vulpinus'' | work = Fishes of Australia | access-date = 7 September 2021 | publisher = Museums Victoria | url = https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1890#summary}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat==
The foxface rabbitfish occurs in the far eastern Indian Ocean and in the western Pacific from Indonesia to the [[Marshall Islands|Marshall]] and [[Gilbert Islands]] north as far as Taiwan and south to [[New Caledonia]] and Australia.<ref name = iucn/> In Australia it is found from [[Western Australia]] on the northern reefs and offshore reefs, at [[Ashmore Reef]] in the [[Timor Sea]], and on the east coast in [[Queensland]] from the northern [[Great Barrier Reef]] to the [[Capricorn Islands]].<ref name = FofA/> It has been recorded as deep as {{cvt|30|m}}.<ref name = iucn/> This species lives in lagoons and seaward reefs where there is a rich growth of corals.<ref name = FofA/>

==Biology==
[[File:Siganus vulpinus estresado.JPG|left|thumb|During nighttime or when stressed the foxface rabbitfish changes to a duller mottled pattern]]
[[Image:Alger, Caulerpa crassifolia, Nordisk familjebok.png|thumb|right|''[[Caulerpa#Species|Caulerpa crassifolia]]'' is a popular food of the foxface rabbitfish.]]
[[File:Foxface rabbitfish (16473345699).jpg|thumbnail]]
The foxface rabbitfish is omnivorous, eating mostly algae and zooplankton.<ref name=whatfishbook>{{cite book|last=Lougher|first=Tristan|title=What Fish?: A Buyer's Guide to Marine Fish|year=2006|publisher=Interpet Publishing|isbn=0-7641-3256-3|page=118|quote=Wild specimens feed primarily on algae and zooplankton.}}</ref> They may be territorial, adults are normally found as either solitary individuals or in pairs and are associated with branching ''[[Acropora]]'' corals. Juveniles and subadults may sometimes form large schools, feeding on algae growing on the bases of ''Acropora'' corals.<ref name = FishBase/> This species produces [[venom]] in the spines of its fins.<ref name = FofA/> In a study of the venom of a [[Congener (biology)|congener]] it was found that rabbitfish venom was similar to the venom of [[stonefishes]].<ref name = venom>{{cite journal | author1 = Kiriake A | author2 = Ishizaki S | author3 = Nagashima Y | author4 = Shiomi K | title = Occurrence of a stonefish toxin-like toxin in the venom of the rabbitfish ''Siganus fuscescens'' | journal = Toxicon | year = 2017 | volume = 140 | pages = 139–146 | doi = 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.10.015 | pmid = 29055787}}</ref>

==Utilisation==
The foxface rabbitfish appears in the aquarium trade.<ref name = liceaquaria>{{cite web | url = https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/687/?pcatid=687 | title = Foxface lo | access-date = 7 September 2021 | publisher = Liveaquaria}}</ref> No statistics are kept for the catch and in some areas this species appears in mixed catches of reef fish, caught by [[spearfishing]].<ref name = FAO/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Commons}}
* {{aut|[[FishBase]]}} (2008): [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=4629 Siganus vulpinus - Foxface]. Version of 2008-JAN-14. Retrieved 2008-AUG-31.
* {{aut|Kuriiwa, Kaoru; Hanzawa, Naoto; Yoshino, Tetsuo; Kimura, Seishi & Nishida, Mutsumi}} (2007): Phylogenetic relationships and natural hybridization in rabbitfishes (Teleostei: Siganidae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses. ''[[Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|Mol. Phylogenet. Evol.]]'' '''45'''(1): 69–80. <small>{{doi|10.1016/j.ympev.2007.04.018}}</small> (HTML abstract)

==External links==
* {{sealifephotos|273929}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q258544}}

[[Category:Siganidae]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Hermann Schlegel]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Salomon Müller]]
[[Category:Fish described in 1845]]