The hogfish (''Lachnolaimus maximus''), also known as boquinete, doncella de pluma or pez perro in Mexico is a species of

wrasse The wrasses are a family, Labridae, of marine fish, many of which are brightly colored. The family is large and diverse, with over 600 species in 81 genera, which are divided into 9 subgroups or tribes. They are typically small, most of them le ...

native to the Western

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

, living in a range from

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, to northern

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

, including the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

. This species occurs around

reefs A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral or similar relatively stable material, lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic processes— deposition of sand, wave erosion planing down rock out ...

, especially preferring areas with plentiful gorgonians. It is a carnivore which feeds on

mollusc Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...

s, as well as

crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all the ...

s and

sea urchins Sea urchins () are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard shells (tests) of ...

. This species is currently the only known member of its

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Appearance

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 91 cm (36 in) in total length and a weight of about 11 kg (24 lb). 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 to blend in against coral or sand.

Hunted

Hogfish are commonly targeted by many spear and reef fishermen and are regarded highly by many for their taste and food value. In 2007, the Florida landings of hogfish totaled 306,953 pounds.

Lifecycle

Like many wrasses, the hogfish is a

sequential hermaphrodite Sequential hermaphroditism (called dichogamy in botany) is a type of hermaphroditism that occurs in many fish, gastropods, and plants. Sequential hermaphroditism occurs when the individual changes its sex at some point in its life. In particular, ...

, meaning it changes sex during different life stages; it is a

protogynous Sequential hermaphroditism (called dichogamy in botany) is a type of hermaphroditism In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite () is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and ...

, "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 14 inches in length. 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 Harem (Persian: حرمسرا ''haramsarā'', ar, حَرِيمٌ ''ḥarīm'', "a sacred inviolable place; harem; female members of the family") refers to domestic spaces that are reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A hare ...

where one male will mate and protect a group of females in his territory.

Economic importance

In 2007, the Florida landings of hogfish totaled 306,953 pounds. The fish stocks are regulated by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is a Florida government agency founded in 1999 and headquartered in Tallahassee. It manages and regulates the state's fish and wildlife resources, and enforces related laws. Officers ar ...

. Bag, size, and gear limits all have been placed on this species to ensure a healthy stock and to protect it from

overfishing Overfishing is the removal of a species of fish (i.e. fishing) from a body of water at a rate greater than that the species can replenish its population naturally (i.e. the overexploitation of the fishery's existing fish stock), resulting in th ...

References

External links

Florida Museum of Natural History: Hogfish
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1278753 Labridae Fish of the Eastern United States Fish of the Western Atlantic Fish described in 1792 Taxa named by Johann Julius Walbaum