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Bluelined rabbitfish (Siganus puellus) — Siganidae

Bluelined rabbitfish

Siganus puellus
Family: Siganidae
LC · Least Concern

The Bluelined rabbitfish (Siganus puellus) is a saltwater fish of the family Siganidae that grows up to 38 cm.

Length
38 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–30.0 m
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Venomous / poisonous
Range
Western Pacific
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The bluelined rabbitfish is a rabbitfish from the Western Pacific. The species grows to about 38 cm and has a deep, yellow body with fine wavy blue lines and a dark eye band. In the dorsal, pelvic and anal fins it bears strong, venom-linked spines that deliver an intense, painful sting. As a reef-dweller it grazes algae, sponges and tunicates from coral and rock in pairs. It is a local food fish. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bluelined rabbitfish?

The Bluelined rabbitfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a horizontal stripes pattern. Winding fine blue lines; venomous fin spines; reef grazer in pairs

Where does the Bluelined rabbitfish live?

The Bluelined rabbitfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Western Pacific

How big does the Bluelined rabbitfish get?

The Bluelined rabbitfish grows to a maximum of about 38 cm. On average the species is around 25 cm.

Is the Bluelined rabbitfish dangerous to humans?

The Bluelined rabbitfish is venomous — handle spines with care and seek medical help after a sting if needed. If stung by the spines: immerse the affected part in water as hot as tolerable (about 45 C) for 30-90 minutes to break down the venom, remove visible spine fragments, and seek medical help for severe pain or swelling.

Is the Bluelined rabbitfish edible?

Yes, the Bluelined rabbitfish is commonly eaten.

More photos

Bluelined rabbitfish (Siganus puellus) — Siganidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Blythe Nilson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Bluelined rabbitfish (Siganus puellus) — Siganidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Leonard Low from Australia (CC BY 2.0)
Bluelined rabbitfish (Siganus puellus) — Siganidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Karelj (Public domain)
Bluelined rabbitfish (Siganus puellus) — Siganidae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — Karelj (Public domain)
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Bluelined rabbitfish verified
Scientific name
Siganus puellus
Family
Siganidae
Other names
Bluelined rabbitfish; Blue-lined rabbitfish; Bluelined spinefoot; Masked spinefoot; Masked rabbitfish; Blue-lined spinefoot; Blu-lined spinefoot; Maiden spinefoot; Masked rabbit-fish; Rabbitfish; Spinefoot verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
38.0 verified
Average length (cm)
25.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold inferred
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
30.0 verified
Natural range
Western Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Algae, sponges and tunicates inferred
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Venomous reef-grazing rabbitfish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Winding fine blue lines; venomous fin spines; reef grazer in pairs sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Handlines sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Venomous / poisonous sourced
First aid
If stung by the spines: immerse the affected part in water as hot as tolerable (about 45 C) for 30-90 minutes to break down the venom, remove visible spine fragments, and seek medical help for severe pain or swelling. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Siganus

More from the family Siganidae

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