Species: Bodianus rufus, Spanish Hogfish, Spanish Hogfish Wrasse

Bodianus rufus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Spanish Hogfish, Spanish Hogfish Wrasse

Body robust, compressed; snout pointed; mouth protrusible, opens at front, thick lips; rear of top jawbone not visible on cheek; toothed grinding plates in throat; a canine tooth at rear of top jaw, strong canines at front of both jaws; gill rakers 17-19; gill membranes fused under throat; dorsal fin XII, 9-11, not obviously notched between spiny and soft parts; anal fin III, 12; lateral line unbroken, smoothly arched; scales large, 29-31 with pores on lateral line.

Juvenile: head and front half of body and front half of dorsal fin blue to dark blue-grey; rest of body and fins yellow; a black blotch at front of dorsal fin. Adult: upper ½ of rear of head, upper 1/3 of body and front ¾ of dorsal fin blue-grey to purple to deep red; rest of head, body, tail base and tail fin yellow.

Reaches 50 cm.

Coral reefs.

Depth range: 1-130 m.

N Carolina to Brazil.