Barred spinefoot
📖 Overview
Inhabits coral-rich areas of lagoons and seaward reefs. Juveniles form schools. Pairs form at 7 cm; but these pairs continue to form loose schools, sometimes with juvenile scarids, to feed in areas being flooded by the tide. At 20 cm, isolated pairs in deep water lagoons or on drop-offs at reef-edges feed on benthic seaweeds . Anterolateral glandular grooves with venom gland . Very closely related to the blue-spotted S. virgatus (Valenciennes) and apparently hybridizes at times with it in the Indo-Malayan region . Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. Body blue above, silvery white below; from nape through eye to chin a seal brown band, another from base of 4th-5th dorsal spines to just below of pectoral fin. Spines stout, pungent and venomous. Preopercular 97°-110°. Strong scales cover cheeks. Midline of thorax fully scaled; sometimes a few scales absent from pelvic ridges.: short and / or deep; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Barred spinefoot is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 15 m . Tropical; 20°N - 29°S, 102°E - 174°W north to Palau and Kosrae, south to northwestern Australia and Tonga (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
benthic seaweeds (Ref
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
⚠️ Venom Profile
- immediate intense pain
- swelling
- erythema
- occasional nausea and weakness
Analgesia; wound care; tetanus prophylaxis; severe cases may require monitoring for systemic effects.
References: Compiled from Bhide (2018), Halstead et al. (1988) and family-specific envenomation literature
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amphacanthus doliatus | Guérin-Méneville, 1829-38 | - | Synonym |
| Teuthis doliata | Guérin-Méneville, 1829-38 | - | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 19 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Barred spinefoot ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.