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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
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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.

Where does the Bluelined rabbitfish live?

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

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.

Is the Bluelined rabbitfish edible?

Yes, the Bluelined rabbitfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Blauwlijn-konijnvis verified
English name
Bluelined rabbitfish verified
Scientific name
Siganus puellus
Family
Siganidae
Other names
Bluelined rabbitfish; Blue-lined rabbitfish; Bluelined 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
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

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

Safety

Danger to humans
Venomous / poisonous sourced

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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