Spotted Rabbitfish

Description

Body is greyish with a pattern of close-set dark-edged brown spots covering head, body and fins, and sometimes a pale saddle on the caudal-fin base and a large ocellated spot behind the upper edge of the gill cover. Juveniles have larger and fewer spots. Color pattern changes with age. Juveniles are with a deep brown patch straddling the lateral line. The spot becoming obscured with increase in size. Stout, venomous spines are not so pungent. Preopercular angle 87°-105°. Strong scales fully cover the cheeks. Midline of thorax  is scaled but not pelvic ridges. Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. Max length is 40 cm, common length is 30 cm.

Distribution

Western Pacific: fringe of the eastern sector of the Indian Ocean, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea, Philippines, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands, Ogasawara Islands, Mariana Islands, Palau (Belau), Caroline Islands, Kapingamarangi Islands, Nauru and Niue. The species is replaced by its sibling, Siganus stellatus, in the Andaman Sea and regions which are located further west.

Habitat

It occurs in clear lagoons and seaward reefs. Juveniles live in schools of up to about 50 fish with pairing commencing as small as 15 cm, but fish may still be schooling at 22 cm SL. Older fish live in pairs. Feeds on benthic algae. Adults on deep coastal reefs, juveniles in shallow estuaries.