Bodianus axillaris (Bennett, 1832)

Bodianus axillaris, commonly called the axilspot hogfish, is sexually dimorphic.

Male Coloration

Adult males have a reddish-brown color on the front half of their bodies, which contrasts with a white posterior end, and they have a large black spot at the base of the pectoral fin, as well as on the dorsal and anal fins.

Female and Juvenile Coloration

Females and juvenile axilspot hogfish are blackish, marked with white blotches along the upper and lower flanks. Juveniles of this species look similar to juveniles of the split-level hogfish, Bodianus mesothorax, but they have white spots instead of yellow spots.

Size

This species reaches a maximum standard length of 20 centimetres (7.9 in).

Taxonomy

The axilspot hogfish was formally described by English zoologist Edward Turner Bennett in 1832, originally named Labrus axillaris, with its type locality recorded as Mauritius.

Distribution

It is distributed across the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the Red Sea to South Africa, and east to the Marshall Islands, Marquesan Islands, and Tuamoto Islands, with its northern range extending to Japan.

Adult Habitat

Adult axilspot hogfish live in clear lagoons and along seaward reefs; they are common in clear shallow water at depths between 1 and 8 metres (3.3 and 26.2 ft). Larger individuals are occasionally found in deeper water below 27 metres (89 ft).

Juvenile Behavior

Juveniles live alone in caves or under overhangs and act as cleaner fish, and adults will sometimes behave this way too.

Diet

Their diet consists of benthic, hard-shelled invertebrates including molluscs and crustaceans.

Reproduction

This species is oviparous, and males and females form distinct pairs for spawning.

Human Relevance

The axilspot hogfish is rarely found in the aquarium trade, and it has no commercial interest to fisheries.