Bodianus rufus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Spanish hogfish
photo by Johnson, L.

Family:  Labridae (Wrasses), subfamily: Bodianinae
Max. size:  40 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 1,020.0 g
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 70 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: Bermuda, southern Florida (USA) and throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea to southern Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 12-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 11-13. Head, upper front part of body, and front of dorsal fin blue if from shallow water, red if from deep; rest of body and tail yellow. Dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins mostly blue or red-yellow at rear (Ref. 26938).
Biology:  Adults inhabit rocky or coral reefs (Ref. 9710). Feed on brittle stars, crustaceans, mollusks, and sea urchins (Ref. 9710). Juveniles actively pick parasites from larger fishes (Ref. 5521). A protogynous hermaphrodite (Ref. ). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). May hybridize with spotfin hogfish, B. pulchellus (Ref. 40096). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3726). Maximum depth reported from Ref. 27115.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 25 March 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  reports of ciguatera poisoning


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