Rabbit Fish

rabbit fish of the family Siganidae, were formerly described as belonging to Indo-Pacific waters where numerous species were listed. Now, however, following the gradual fall in the salinity of the Bitter Lakes which punctuate the Suez Canal, some Indo-Pacific fish have been able to swim through the Canal and establish themselves in the E. Mediterranean. Foremost among these is Siganus rivulatus, which has acquired local Mediterranean names as far west as Malta; but its path has been followed by S. luridus, so two of them are now part of the Mediterranean fauna.