hogfish
{{Short description|Species of fish}}
{{For|other species known as hogfish|Bodianus}}
{{Distinguish|Hagfish}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = A hogfish is a large wrasse, Lachnolaimus maximus.jpg
| image_caption = Male
| status = VU
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| parent_authority = G. Cuvier, 1829
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Lachnolaimus maximus
| authority = (Walbaum, 1792)
| synonyms = * Labrus maximus Walbaum, 1792
}}
The hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus), also known as boquinete, doncella de pluma or pez perro in Mexico{{Cite web|title=Shorefishes - The Fishes - Species|url=https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/es/thefishes/species/3905|access-date=2020-12-24|website=biogeodb.stri.si.edu}} is a species of wrasse native to the Western Atlantic Ocean, living in a range from Nova Scotia, Canada, to northern South America, including the Gulf of Mexico.{{cite web |title=Hogfish in St. Petersburg, Florida |url=https://www.reelcoquinafishing.com/blogs/florida-fishing-blog/hogfish-florida |website=Reel Coquina Fishing|date=19 July 2021 }} This species occurs around reefs, especially preferring areas with plentiful gorgonians. It is a carnivore which feeds on molluscs, as well as crabs and sea urchins. This species is currently the only known member of its genus.{{FishBase|Lachnolaimus|maximus|month=August|year=2019}}
Description
File:Lachnolaimus maximus juvenile.jpg
The hogfish possesses a very elongated snout, which it uses to search for crustaceans buried in the sediment. This very long "pig-like" snout and its rooting behavior give the hogfish its name. A prominent black spot behind the pectoral fins differentiates males from females. The dorsal fin usually is composed of three or four long dorsal spines followed by a series of shorter dorsal spines. Hogfish reach a maximum of {{convert|90|cm|in|0|abbr=off}} in total length and a weight of about {{convert|11|kg|lb|abbr=off|0}}. Females and juveniles usually start out as pale gray, brown, or reddish-brown in color, with a paler underside and no distinct patterns. Males are distinguished by a deep, dark band spanning from the snout to the first dorsal spine, and by a lateral black spot behind the pectoral fins. Hogfish also have a form of active camouflage with the assist of dermal photoreception, a sensory capability allowing them to detect light through their skin. Specialized cells containing opsins, located beneath chromatophores, enable hogfish to perceive changes in ambient light.{{Cite journal |last1=Schweikert |first1=Lorian E. |last2=Bagge |first2=Laura E. |last3=Naughton |first3=Lydia F. |last4=Bolin |first4=Jacob R. |last5=Wheeler |first5=Benjamin R. |last6=Grace |first6=Michael S. |last7=Bracken-Grissom |first7=Heather D. |last8=Johnsen |first8=Sönke |date=2023-08-22 |title=Dynamic light filtering over dermal opsin as a sensory feedback system in fish color change |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=4642 |doi=10.1038/s41467-023-40166-4 |issn=2041-1723 |pmc=10444757 |pmid=37607908}}
Lifecycle
File:Lachnolaimus maximus (hogfish at a cleaning station) (Grand Cayman Island, Caribbean Sea).jpg]]
File:Head and jaws of Great hog-fish, 1731 Wellcome L0035355.jpg
Like many wrasses, the hogfish is a sequential hermaphrodite, meaning it changes sex during different life stages; it is a protogynous, "first female" hermaphrodite; juvenile hogfish start out as female and then mature to become male. The change usually occurs around three years of age and about {{convert|14|in|cm|order=flip|0}} in length.Davis, J. C. 1976. Biology of the hogfish, Lachnolaimus maximus (Walbaum), in the Florida Keys. M. S. Thesis, University of Miami, Coral Gables. p 87.
Hogfish have been recorded to live up to 11 years.FWCC, FMRI 2008 Spawning in South Florida occurs from November through June.Colin, P. L. 1982. Spawning and larval development of the hogfish, Lachnolaimus maximus (Pisces: Labridae). Fish. Bull. 80: 853–862 Hogfish social groups are organized into harems where one male will mate and protect a group of females in his territory.
Economic importance
In 2007, the Florida landings of hogfish totaled {{convert|306,953|lb|kg|order=flip|abbr=off}}. The fish stocks are regulated by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Bag, size, and gear limits all have been placed on this species to ensure a healthy stock and to protect it from overfishing.
Gallery
File:Hogfish, Albuquerque, NM, USA imported from iNaturalist photo 286792762.jpg|With raised dorsal fin
File:Hogfish.JPG
File:Lachnolaimus maximus.jpg
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/hogfish/hogfish.html Florida Museum of Natural History: Hogfish]
- {{SealifePhotos|158822}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1278753}}
Category:Fish of the Eastern United States
Category:Fish of the Western Atlantic