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Identification Guide to the Common Coatal Food Fishes of the Pacific

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Identification Guide to the Common Coatal Food Fishes of the Pacific Siganidae / Rabbitfish Siganus argenteus IGA Streamlined spinefoot, forktail rabbitfish Light blue to bluish-grey with 1 1 numerous small yellow spots and lines on head and body. 2 Short dark vertical bar on upper margin of gill covers. 3 Distinctive 2 forked caudal fin. 3 Max length: 40 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Siganidae / Rabbitfish Siganus canaliculatus SCN White-spotted spinefoot, white-spotted rabbitfish Silvery-grey to greenish- or yellowish-brown with 1 numerous 1 bluish-white spots on head and 2 body. Often with 2 a dark patch behind gill covers. Max length: 30 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Siganidae / Rabbitfish Siganus corallinus IGR Blue-spotted spinefoot, coral rabbitfish Yellow with 1 numerous dark- edged blue spots on head and 1 body. 2 Dark triangular smudge over eyes. Occasionally with dark 2 smudges on back. Max length: 25 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Photo: Brad Moore, SPC Moore, Brad Photo: 123 IGD Siganus doliatus Siganidae / Rabbitfish Barred spinefoot, barred rabbitfish 1 Light blue upper body to white lower body with 1 vertical blue and yellow lines on body becoming horizontal on chest and base of caudal fin.2 Pair of dark bands on head and forebody. Max length: 25 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI 2 MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Similar to Siganus virgatus (not shown) but with lines on body instead of spots. Onatrio of Institute Biodiversity Photo: IGF Siganus fuscescens Siganidae / Rabbitfish Mottled spinefoot, dusky rabbitfish Grey to bluish-grey or brownish- 1 yellow upper body becoming paler on belly. 1 Small gold to bluish- white spots on sides and belly. 2 Slightly lunate caudal fin. 2 Max length: 35 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Photo: CSIRO Australian National Fish Collection Fish National Australian CSIRO Photo: SGU Siganus guttatus Siganidae / Rabbitfish Goldlined spinefoot, golden rabbitfish Pale bluish-grey with 1 numerous yellow-orange spots and 2 a bright yellow spot below rear base of dorsal fin. 1 Max length: 40 cm FL 2 AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Similar to Siganus lineatus but is entirely spotted (S. lineatus has lines and spots on body). 124 Siganidae / Rabbitfish Siganus lineatus IGI Golden-lined spinefoot, lined rabbitfish Pale bluish-grey with 1 numerous 1 2 yellow-orange wavy horizontal lines and occasionally spots on body. 2 Bright yellow spot below rear base of dorsal fin. Max length: 40 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Similar to Siganus guttatus but with lines in addition to spots on body. Siganidae / Rabbitfish Siganus puellus IGE Masked spinefoot, masked rabbitfish Yellow with 1 wavy blue lines 1 that are arranged vertically on forebody and horizontally on rear 3 body. 2 Yellow head grading to white on margin of gill covers. 3 Single dark band across eyes. Max length: 35 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF 2 PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Siganidae / Rabbitfish Siganus punctatissimus IGT Peppered spinefoot, fine-spotted rabbitfish Dark purplish-brown with 1 nu- merous small bluish-white or blue 1 2 to brown spots. 2 Dark edging on rear of dorsal, anal and caudal fin. 3 Deeply forked caudal fin. 3 Max length: 30 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Photo: Biodiversity Institute of Onatrio of Institute Biodiversity Photo: 125 IGC Siganus punctatus Siganidae / Rabbitfish Goldspotted spinefoot, gold-spotted rabbitfish Pale brown to bluish-grey with 1 2 1 numerous dark-edged orange spots on head, body and caudal fin.2 Dark blotch often present behind gill covers. Max length: 35 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Photo: Brad Moore, SPC Moore, Brad Photo: IUS Siganus spinus Siganidae / Rabbitfish Little spinefoot, scribbled rabbitfish White with 1 a labyrinth of nar- row brown bands over head and body. 2 Mottled pattern on fins. 1 Max length: 20 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO 2 TV VU WF WS IUE Siganus vermiculatus Siganidae / Rabbitfish Vermiculated spinefoot, vermiculate rabbitfish 1 Bluish-white with 1 network of 2 yellowish-brown lines on head and body. 2 Numerous small dark spots on caudal fin. Max length: 44 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS 126 Siganidae / Rabbitfish Siganus vulpinus IUL Foxface Yellow body with 1 white head and a black diagonal band extend- 1 ing from snout to dorsal fin.2 Black breast. Max length: 25 cm FL AS CK FJ FM GU KI MH MP NC NR NU PF PG PN PW SB TK TO TV VU WF WS Photo: Brad Moore, SPC Moore, Brad Photo: 2 Foxface, Siganus vulpinus, Photo: Dwayne Meadows, NOAA Photo Library Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia. 127.
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