Hogfish  (Lachnolaimus maximus)

Description

The hogfish gets its unusual name from its long, pig-like snout and protrusible mouth which it uses to root around the sea bottom for food (3) (4). The hogfish belongs to the second largest family of marine fishes, the wrasses, but instead of a cigar-shaped body like most wrasses, the hogfish is laterally compressed and round (2) (4). The colour of the hogfish is highly variable, and depends on age, sex and habitat (4). Generally they are pearly white and mottled with reddish-brown (4). Small hogfish may be uniformly grey, whilst large hogfish can be mostly salmon pink, with a dark maroon bar on top of the snout (2). Most individuals possess a prominent round, black blotch below the dorsal fin, yellowish pectoral fins and bright red eyes (2).

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