| 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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