Blotched foxface

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title: "Blotched foxface" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["siganidae", "fish-described-in-1907", "taxa-named-by-barton-warren-evermann"] description: "Species of ray-finned fish" topic_path: "general/siganidae" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blotched_foxface" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Species of ray-finned fish ::

| image = Blotched foxface (Siganus unimaculatus).jpg | image_caption = | status = DD | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = | taxon = Siganus unimaculatus | authority = (Evermann & Seale, 1907) | synonyms = * Lo unimaculatus Evermann & Seale, 1907 | synonyms_ref = The blotched foxface (Siganus unimaculatus), also called the blackblotch foxface or one-spot foxface, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found at reefs and lagoons in the central Indo-Pacific. Except for the black spot on the rear upper body, it resembles the closely related foxface rabbitfish.

Taxonomy

The blotched foxace was first formally described in 1907 as Lo unimaculatus by the American ichthyologists Barton Warren Evermann and Alvin Seale with the type locality given as "Bacon, Sorsogon, east coast of southern Luzon Island, Philippines". This species differs from the foxface rabbitfish (S. vulpinus) in possessing a large black spot below the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin. It is sympatric and not phylogenetically distinct, and though these two might be recently evolved species, they may be just colour morphs and should arguably to be united under the scientific name S. vulpinus. The specific name is a compound of uni which means "one" and maculatus meaning "spotted", a reference to the characteristic black spot.

Description

The blotched foxface has a compressed body which has a depth which fits into its standard length 1.9 times. The dorsal profile of the head is steep to the rearof the eye and there is an indentation between the eyes. The caudal fin is forked. 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 20 cm.

Distribution and habitat

The blotched foxface has two disjunct populations: a northern population which is found in the Western Pacific Ocean from the Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands of Japan to the Philippines, and a southern population which is restricted to the Rowley Shoals in the Timor Sea off northwestern Australia. This species is found in shallow waters down to 14 m on coral reefs made up of Acropora and Porites, and also on coral rubble.

Biology

The blotched foxface is herbivorous and feeds on seaweeds.

Utilisation

The blotched foxface is targeted by fisheries using spearfishing and drive-in nets, the catch being sold for food. They also appear in the aquarium trade.

References

References

1. Carpenter, K.E.. (2019). "''Siganus unimaculatus''".
2. {{FishBase. Siganus. unimaculatus. (2021)
3. {{Cof genus
4. (2007). "Phylogenetic relationships and natural hybridization in rabbitfishes (Teleostei: Siganidae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
5. (12 January 2021). "Order Acanthuriformes (part 2): Families Ephippidae, Leiognathidae, Scatophagidae, Antigoniidae, Siganidae, Caproidae, Luvaridae, Zanclidae and Acanthuridae". Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara.
6. (1907). "Fishes of the Philippine Islands". Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries.
7. Dianne J. Bray. "''Siganus unimaculatus''". Museums Victoria.

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