Species: Lachnolaimus maximus, Hogfish, Hogfish Wrasse

Lachnolaimus maximus (Walbaum, 1792)

Hogfish, Hogfish Wrasse

Body deep, oblong, compressed; upper head profile straight to slightly concave; snout long and pointed; mouth highly protrusible, with a longitudinal fold from top lip covering rear of jaws, rear of top jawbone not visible on cheek; strong forward directed canines at front of mouth, rear teeth short, stout, in one row; toothed grinding plates in throat; gill membranes fused under throat; dorsal fin with XIV spines, first 3 spines very long and filamentous, membranes between spines deeply indented, not obviously notched between spiny and soft parts; anal fin III, 10; tail fin straight in juveniles, concave in adults, lobes with filamentous tips in large males; lateral line complete, 32-34 pored scales.

Initial phase and Juveniles variable: mottled with grey, red-brown and tan, forehead and nape darker; a prominent black blotch on lower rear corner of dorsal fin and adjacent tail base; iris red. Terminal phase: Body whitish; black on forehead and nape, most of pelvics, base and outer margin of dorsal fin, lower edge of anal fin, and upper and lower edges and base of tail fin; iris red.

Reaches 91 cm; all tackle world record 9.63 kg.

Found around the sandy margins of reefs, in gorgonian tree forests and seagrass beds.

Depth range: 0-91 m.

North Carolina to Brazil.