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Izu hogfish (Bodianus izuensis) — Labridae

Izu hogfish

Bodianus izuensis
Family: Labridae

The Izu hogfish (Bodianus izuensis) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
30.0–70.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, New Caledonia, Palau and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The Izu hogfish is a wrasse, a hogfish (Labridae), from reef water of the northwest Pacific, off Japan. The species has an elongate, red-pink with white and yellow tints body with strong canine teeth with which it crushes molluscs, crustaceans and sea urchins. As a bottom-oriented fish it swims over coral and rocky reefs; like many wrasses a female changes sex on loss of the male. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Izu hogfish?

The Izu hogfish has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly red-orange.

Where does the Izu hogfish live?

The Izu hogfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Australia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, New Caledonia, Palau and others

How big does the Izu hogfish get?

The Izu hogfish grows to a maximum of about 10 cm.

Is the Izu hogfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Izu hogfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Izu hogfish edible?

Yes, the Izu hogfish is commonly eaten.

More photos

Izu hogfish (Bodianus izuensis) — Labridae — 2
Randall, John E. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Izu hogfish (Bodianus izuensis) — Labridae — 3
Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF
Izu hogfish (Bodianus izuensis) — Labridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Tom Davis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
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All data

Identification

English name
Izu hogfish sourced
Scientific name
Bodianus izuensis
Family
Labridae
Other names
Striped pigfish; Striped hogfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
30.0 verified
Max depth (m)
70.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Australia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, New Caledonia, Palau and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Bodianus

More from the family Labridae

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