WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Spanish Hogfish

Bodianus rufus

Also known as: Dogfish, Hog Snapper, Hogfish, Rufus Hogfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2010
Adult
@fishx6 · Bonaire Dive SiteOil Slick, Caribbean Netherlands · November 20101 / 14
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Overview

Found singly, pairs, or in harems, over coral and rocky reefs.
Juveniles act as cleanerfish, picking parasites form other fish.
Curious of divers.

Most reef fish seen by divers during the day, are grazers, they cruise around, just above the surface of the coral, or snoop into crevices, foraging for food.
Wrasses have small protruding teeth, which they use to graze the bottom, taking in a variety of algae, crustaceans, such as crabs, eggs, shrimps, snails and worms. Any hard coats or thick shells, are then ground down by their pharyngeal jaws, and the delicacies inside digested.
From juvenile to adult, wrasses dramatically alter their colour and body shapes.
Wrasses are always on the go during the day, but are the first to go to bed and the last to rise.
Small wrasses dive below the sand to sleep, and larger wrasses wedge themselves in crevices.

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How to identify

COLOURS

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Country only · 14
LIVES IN

Found singly, pairs, or in harems, over coral and rocky reefs.

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Adult photos 14

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderEupercaria incertae sedis
    5. familyLabridae
    6. genusBodianus
    7. speciesBodianus rufus (Linnaeus, 1758)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Wrasses (Labridae)