"Dusky Spinefoot Squaretail Rabbitfish"

Type Description

"Body compressed, snout obtuse; caudal fin truncate. Body changes from mottled olive-green to
dark brown at death. Pectorals yellow; dark crossbars on
the caudal fin. This species has been observed stopping suddenly. erecting the dorsal, anal and pelvic to present a potential threat with an array of venomous spines around its body."

Habitat

"The dusky spinefoot is found on the coast of eastern Africa from Mozambique northwards into the Red Sea, and also the Comoros, Madagascar, and the Mascarene Islands. Recorded first in the Mediterranean Sea in 1955 off Israel, following entry via the Suez Canal, it fast expanded across the eastern Basin and now reaches westwards as far as the French Mediterranean coast and the Adriatic Sea.

It is found at depths between 2 and 40 m (6 ft 7 in and 131 ft 3 in) in waters over hard substrates, such as coral and rocky reefs."

Reproductive Information

"The dusky spinefoot spawns in April and from June to August when the seawater temperature is between 24-29 °C (75 and 84 °F), the eggs and larvae are planktonic. The larvae stay close to the surface where they feed on phytoplankton and zooplankton from 3 days old. The
spawning period is between April and August in the
Mediterranean."

Lifecycle

Nutrition Information

 It feeds upon sea grasses.

General Impact Information

This species produces venom in the spines of its fins.

General Management Information

General Pathway Information

This species migrated to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.

Notes

References