Siganus niger
A venomous, black rabbitfish endemic to Tonga's coral reefs.
The black foxface, a rabbitfish known scientifically as *Siganus niger*, is a marine ray-finned fish found only in Tonga, in the western Pacific Ocean. Its body is almost entirely black, with yellow pectoral fins and yellow margins on the soft parts of the dorsal, anal, and tail fins. A broad white stripe, marked with a worm-like pattern, runs across the gill cover. Like most rabbitfishes, it has 13 spines and 10 soft rays in the dorsal fin, and 7 spines and 9 soft rays in the anal fin, reaching a total length of 22 cm (8.7 in).
First formally described in 1990 by David J. Woodland, the type specimen came from Euakafa Island in Tonga’s Vava’u Group. Its specific name, *niger*, means black, referring to its dark color. It is sometimes grouped with four other “foxface” rabbitfishes in the subgenus *Lo* within the genus *Siganus*.
Endemic to Tonga, the black foxface is most common in the northern Vava’u island group. It lives at depths of 2 to 15 meters, near drop-offs along coral reef edges, preferring areas with staghorn or fire corals and rubble mounds made of flat and staghorn corals. Adults form pairs, while juveniles likely school. They feed on macroalgae and can change color and pattern when alarmed. The spines in their fins produce venom, which a study of a related species found to be similar to stonefish venom.
This fish appears in the aquarium trade and is also targeted by spear fishers, who sell the catch fresh.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Siganus niger
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The black foxface was first formally described in 1990 by the ichthyologist David J. Woodland, with the type locality given as Euakafa Island in the Vava'u Group of Tonga. It is sometimes placed with the other four species of 'foxfaced rabbitfishes' in a subgenus of the genus Siganus called Lo. The specific name niger means black, a reference to the dark colour of this species.
Like almost all other rabbitfishes, it has 13 spines and 10 soft rays in its dorsal fin and 7 spines and 9 soft rays in its anal fin. The overall colour is almost completely black, but the pectoral fins are yellow, as is the margin of the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin, the anal fin and the caudal fin. There is a broad white stripe on the gill cover which is overlain with a vermiculated pattern.
The black foxface is endemic to Tonga, although it is only common in the northernmost Tongan island group of Vava'u. It is found at depths between 2 and 15 m in the vicinity of drop-offs at the edges of coral reefs, showing a preference for areas with staghorn or fire corals and rubble mounds made up of flat and staghorn corals.
Reader's Guide
The black foxface is significant as a distinctive, endemic rabbitfish of Tonga, particularly the Vava'u island group. Its nearly black body with yellow fins and a white gill-cover stripe makes it visually unique among rabbitfishes. The species produces venom in the spines of its fins; a study of a congener found that rabbitfish venom was similar to the venom of stonefishes. Adults live in pairs, while juveniles are thought to school. It feeds on macroalgae and is known to change colour and pattern when alarmed. The black foxface appears in the aquarium trade and is also targeted by spear fishers, with the catch sold fresh. Its restricted range and specific habitat preferences—coral reef drop-offs with staghorn or fire corals—underscore its ecological niche. The species was formally described in 1990 by David J. Woodland, and its placement in the subgenus Lo reflects its relationship with other foxfaced rabbitfishes.
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