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Related FAQs: Marine Life of the Tropical West
Atlantic, Tropical West Atlantic 2,
Related Articles: TWA Invertebrates, Algae, Vascular
Plants, Introduction to Fishwatcher's Guide
Series Pieces/Sections, Lachnolaimus
maxiumus/Hogfish, Hogfishes of the Genus Bodianus,
The Tropical West Atlantic: Bahamas to Brazil,
Part 7
To:
Part 1, Part 2,
Part 3, Part 4,
Part 5, Part 6,
Part 8, Part 9,
Part 10, Part 11,
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by Bob Fenner
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Wrasses, Labridae. Mirroring their importance and abundance on
the reef, the wrasses of the TWA make up a sizeable part of the pet-fish shipped
from there. These stalwarts are amongst the hobby’s "best" and
"most popular" animals.
Ecotype: Several; mainly in shallow to mid-depth reefs, associated with the
bottom.
Hogfish is the name we apply to a group of the wrasses as an
affectionate moniker describing their appearance (and eating habits). Three of
the best "hogs" in the trade come from here; The Spotfin or Cuban
Hogfish, Bodianus pulchellus (1); Spanish Hogfish, B. rufus (1),
and Highfin or "just" Hogfish, Lachnolaimus maximus (1). The
first two are facultative cleaners when small, picking off ectoparasites and
dead tissue from grateful hosts. Be aware that these fish-only system wrasses
get to be rambunctious when larger (to 1,2 and 3 feet respectively).
| Bodianus pulchellus (Poey 1860), The Spotfin or
Cuban Hogfish. Tropical West Atlantic; South Carolina to Venezuela.
To about eleven inches total length. Exemplary aquarium species. Small (3"), medium (5") and large
(8") images of Bodianus pulchellus (Poey 1860), the Cuban (Spotfin
to science) Hogfish. All aquarium images. |
| Bodianus rufus (Linnaeus 1758), the Spanish Hogfish.
Western Atlantic; Bermuda to Brazil. To sixteen inches maximum length. In
the wild eats mollusks, urchins, Brittlestars, crustaceans, and juveniles
act as facultative cleaners. Hardy aquarium species. Below: Medium (5") and a large (16") and
about same size mute-colored images of Bodianus rufus. Bahamas
images. One inch juvenile at right in Cancun. |
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Lachnolaimus maximus
(Walbaum) 1792. Most often sold as the Long-Fin Hogfish is a real beauty from
the western Atlantic. It is unmistakable, distinguished by it's first three
greatly prolonged dorsal spines. Be aware if you pick one of these up that they
get BIG; Randall lists the largest he collected at 32 inches and 14.4 pounds.
Here are images of a ten inch juvenile in captivity and a two foot specimen in
the Grand Bahamas Channel.
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The Bluehead Wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum (2) is a staple item in
our livestock arsenal. This is actually the last or terminal phase of the
species; the yellow undifferentiated and female members that turn into these
green and blue bolts are rarely offered in the trade. In the wild they exist in
harems with one alpha male (photo), with the next strongest female converting to
a Bluehead for replacement.
There are several wrasses of the genus Halichoeres found in the TWA that are
suitable for aquarium use (especially when small). A few are
"old-timers" to the trade like the Pudding Wife, (H. radiatus)
(2) and Slippery Dick (H. bivittatus) (2). Others are welcome newbies,
like the Lightning or Yellowcheek (Halichoeres cyanocephalus) (2) and
Neon or Yellowhead (H. garnoti) (2). There are others long-deserving of
our attention.
| Halichoeres bivittatus (Bloch 1791), the Slippery Dick Wrasse (2), is a standard item
offered out of the tropical western Atlantic and an anomaly to me. This fish is neither
really very attractive or relatively hardy in captivity. To almost nine inches
in length. Bahamas, Cozumel, St. Thomas pix of juvenile and initial phase
individuals below. Terminal/male phase at right in Bonaire. |
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| Halichoeres cyanocephalus (Bloch 1791), the
Yellowcheek Wrasse. West Atlantic. To six inches in length. This terminal
phase individual off of Cozumel. |
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| Halichoeres garnoti (Valenciennes 1839), the Yellowhead Wrasse (1) is another new choice out
of the tropical western Atlantic. To about seven inches long. More and more
available in the trade, and a beauty. At right a terminal phase individual in
Cozumel. Below are images of juvenile, initial
and terminal phase/male individuals. Second in Cozumel, all others Bahamas. |
| Halichoeres maculipinna (Muller & Troschel 1848),
the Clown Wrasse. West Atlantic; Carolina to Brazil. To 18 cm. Initial
phase individual off of Cozumel and St. Thomas. |
 
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| Halichoeres pictus (Steindachner 1867), the Rainbow
Wrasse. Tropical west Atlantic; Florida to northern South America. To 13
cm. in length. An initial phase individual and pair in Bonaire. |
 
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| Halichoeres poeyi (Poey 1860), the Rainbow
Wrasse. Tropical west Atlantic; Florida to northern South America. To 13
cm. in length. Found in
shallow muddy bays and grass beds. Photo at right of an intermediate phase
individual in the
Bahamas. Below: Juvenile, intermediate and terminal phases in St. Thomas. |
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| Halichoeres prosopeion (Bleeker 1853), the Two-tone
Wrasse. Western Pacific. To five inches in length. An occasional import
from a few countries. N. Sulawesi, Fiji and Australian photographs of very
young, juvenile and adult. |
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Halichoeres radiatus (Linnaeus 1758), the Puddingwife Wrasse (2), is another old standard
from the tropical west Atlantic. Good looking when young, keep in mind this fish grows to
twenty inches in the wild. Juveniles in Cozumel, sub-adults in St. Lucia and Cancun,
Initial Phase off Cozumel. 2, 3, four, five and twelve inches respectively, and
one off Bonaire. No terminal phase pic?
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This is a wrasse? The genus Clepticus:
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Genus Clepticus: Here is another species we’ll mention,
the Creole Wrasse, Clepticus
parrae (Bloch & Schneider 1801) (3), simply because it (mis)enters the
trade from time to time. This reef roamer is not often identified as a wrasse at
all, as it cruises above the reefs of the tropical western Atlantic. The Creole
Wrasse almost always dies in route from being shipped from the wild. To one foot
in length. This one in Cancun, Mexico. |
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Lastly, a quick mention of the wrasses, like the Pacific Dragon or Rock
Mover, called Razorfish. The ornamental marine livestock industry generally
sells these TWA sand divers as generic "Razorfish", Xyrichtys
sp. (2). These need a thick sand bottom to dig in.
| Xyrichthys martinicensis Valenciennes 1849, the Rosy
Razorfish. West Atlantic; Florida to South America. To six inches in total
length. A terminal phase (male) individual here off Cozumel, and initial
and terminal phase individuals below in Bonaire. |
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| Xyrichthys splendens Castelnau 1855, the Green
Razorfish. Tropical West Atlantic; Bermuda to Brazil. To a mere seven
inches in length. Commonly found in seagrass beds and surrounding sandy
areas. Terminal phase aquarium image at right. Below, juvenile, initial
phase/female and terminal phase/male off of Cozumel Island, Mexico. 4-30
feet. |
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To: Part 1, Part 2,
Part 3, Part 4,
Part 5, Part 6,
Part 8, Part 9,
Part 10, Part 11,
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