Dusky Spinefoot - Siganus luridus - Golden Colour over the Reef

A Dusky Spinefoot displays a bright olive-yellow colour and fine pale markings while swimming close to a rocky Mediterranean reef.

The Dusky Spinefoot (Siganus luridus) has a deep, laterally compressed body with a small rabbit-like mouth and a nearly straight or truncate caudal fin. Its colour is highly variable, ranging from olive-green and yellowish tones to dark brown, often with numerous pale wavy or vermiculated lines across the body. The dorsal, anal and pelvic fins contain strong venomous spines used for defence, so the fish should not be handled. It is a mainly herbivorous species that grazes on algae and usually remains close to rocky bottoms and reefs in shallow coastal water. The Dusky Spinefoot occurs from about 2 to 40 metres depth and reaches approximately 30 centimetres in total length.