HOGFISH

any of certain species of fishes in the wrasse family, Labridae (order Perciformes). Although representatives of the family are found in tropical to temperate oceans throughout the world, the hogfishes occur only in the Atlantic, predominantly in the West Indies. One hogfish, Lachnolaimus maximus, usually occurs in the warm subtropical marine waters from Florida to Bermuda to the South American coast. Most specimens are red to pinkish in colour, and many reach a length of 60 cm (2 feet). Characteristically three or four anterior spines of the dorsal fin are lengthened into filamentous extensions. The spotfin hogfish and the Spanish hogfish belong to the genus Bodianus and occupy the same geographic range as L. maximus. The Spanish hogfish attains a length of 61 cm and, when young, are known to clean other fishes of external parasites.