Description

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 12. Body red with white stripe on lower side. Black spot at base of anterior dorsal spines. Very distinctive and colorful species. (Ref. 26938).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Eupercaria/misc

Family: Labridae

Genus: Bodianus

Species: Bodianus pulchellus (Poey, 1860)

Climate Zone

Location

• Western Atlantic: South Carolina, USA and Bermuda to Honduras and Santa Catarina, Brazil (Ref. 57756). Eastern Atlantic: São Tomé Island (Ref. 34088).

Biology

Adults inhabit coral and rocky reefs, rarely at depths greater than 24 m (Ref. 9710). Feed on crabs and small shellfish (Ref. 3726). Juveniles pick parasites from other fishes (Ref. 9710). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). May hybridize with Spanish hogfish, B. rufus (Ref. 40096). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3726).

Habitat

associated

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless