Hogfish

Hogfish
Male
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Labridae
Subfamily: Hypsigenyinae
Genus: Lachnolaimus
G. Cuvier, 1829
Species:
L. maximus
Binomial name
Lachnolaimus maximus
(Walbaum, 1792)
Synonyms
  • Labrus maximus Walbaum, 1792

The hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus), also known as boquinete, doncella de pluma, or pez perro in Mexico is a species of wrasse native to the western Atlantic Ocean, living in a range from Nova Scotia, Canada, to northern South America, including the Gulf of Mexico. This species occurs around reefs, especially preferring areas with plentiful gorgonians. It is a carnivore that feeds on molluscs, crabs, and sea urchins. This species is currently the only known member of its genus.