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Red Hogfish (Decodon puellaris) — Labridae

Red Hogfish

Decodon puellaris
Family: Labridae
LC · Least Concern

The Red Hogfish (Decodon puellaris) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
18.0–275.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The red hogfish is a wrasse (Labridae) from the western Atlantic Ocean. The species has an elongate, pinkish-red body with yellowish tints and stout canine teeth at the front of the mouth. It lives mainly over rocky bottoms of insular areas and deeper reefs. As a bottom predator it feeds on small invertebrates, especially hard-shelled molluscs and crustaceans, which it crushes with its teeth. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Red Hogfish?

The Red Hogfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Red Hogfish live?

The Red Hogfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Red Hogfish get?

The Red Hogfish grows to a maximum of about 30 cm. On average the species is around 22 cm.

Is the Red Hogfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Red Hogfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Red Hogfish edible?

The Red Hogfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Rode varkenslipvis sourced
English name
Red Hogfish verified
Scientific name
Decodon puellaris
Family
Labridae
Other names
Red hogfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
30.0 verified
Average length (cm)
22.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
18.0 verified
Max depth (m)
275.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Decodon

More from the family Labridae

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