Foxface
📖 Overview
Sometimes territorial, occurs in coral-rich areas of lagoon and seaward reefs. Often among staghorn corals . Usually occurs singly or in pairs, but juveniles and subadults occasionally occur in large schools among Acropora where they feed on algae growing on the dead bases of the coral branches. Capable of inflicting painful stings .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. A dark chocolate ocular band running in an arc from base of 1st dorsal spine to chin; a narrow white blaze on midline of head profile; thorax dark chocolate; a broad white zone behind ocular bar on trunk; remainder of body yellow-orange. Stout, pungent, venomous spines. Caudal fin only slightly incised. Fully scaled midline of thorax. Preopercular angle 119° (111°-120°). Variable cheek scaling; usually overlapping scales, 8-10 rows deep below center of orbit; occasionally, few scattered scales; area fully scaled from lower edge of orbit 2 angle of mouth. S. vulpinus is very closely related to and possibly the same as S. unimaculatus, which has a large black blotch on the sides beneath the soft dorsal rays .: short and / or deep; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Foxface is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m , usually 1 - 30 m . Tropical; 26°N - 25°S, 95°E - 173°W recorded from Tonga (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
algae growing on the dead bases of the coral branches
📐 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
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Black-face Rabbitfish · Black-face rabbitface · Common Foxface · Common foxface, Foxface · Fox-face · Foxface Lo · Foxface Rabbitfish · Foxface spinefoot · foxface |
| 🏳️Catalan | Gitano cara de guineu |
| 🌍CES | králíčkovec liščí |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Rævehoved |
| 🇩🇪German | Dachsgesicht · Fuchsgesicht |
| 🌍EST | Rebas-küülikkala · Rebaskala |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Kettukala |
| 🇫🇷French | Picot renard · Tête de renard |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | rókafejű nyúlhal |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Pesce coniglio faccia di volpe · Pesce coniglio muso di volpe · Pesce coniglio volpino |
| 🌍MSA | Belais · Belaris · Belibas · Bliais · Bonang-bonang · Dengkis · Dengkis kuning muncung · Gelibas · Kelang · Ketang · Ketang lada · Lambai · Leban · Lumban · Samadar cecet |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Vossenkopvis |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Peixe-face-de-raposa-comum |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Пестряк-лис |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Rävhuvudfisk |
| 🌍TGL | Alama · Balawis · Indongan · Samaral |
| 🌍THA | ปลาสลิดทะเลเหลืองปากยาว |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 狐蓝子鱼 · 狐藍子魚 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amphacanthus vulpinus | Schlegel & Müller | 1845 | Synonym |
| Lo vulpinus | Schlegel & Müller | 1845 | Synonym |
| Teuthis tubulosa | Gronow | 1854 | Synonym |
| Teuthis vulpina | Schlegel & Müller | 1845 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 15 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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