Five-striped Hogfish, Bodianus paraleucosticticus Gomon 2006

Summary:

A small hogfish with narrow reddish-orange stripes along the sides that become yellow towards the rear of the body, a yellow ventral stripe, a large black spot on the pectoral-fin base, and a prominent black spot on the spinous dorsal fin.
Video of a Five-striped Hogfish at Cairns Marine, from Holmes Reef in the Coral Sea
Video of a Five-striped Hogfish in an aquarium

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F. 2024, Bodianus paraleucosticticus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 20 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4989

Five-striped Hogfish, Bodianus paraleucosticticus Gomon 2006

More Info

Distribution	Recorded in the Australian region from Holmes Reef in the Coral Sea. Elsewhere, the species occurs in the tropical Western Pacific - Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and the Cook Islands. Inhabits mesophotic reefs, and may be more widespread in the Western Pacific.
Features	Dorsal fin XII, 10; Anal fin III, 12; Gill rakers 15-17; Predorsal scales 18-19. Distinguished by having the predorsal scales reaching forward barely beyond above centre of eye on dorsal midline of head; dorsal fin with long spines, the first spine 7.8-8.1% SL, second spine 9.5-10.3% SL, and 12th spine 15.0-16.7% SL; first anal-fin spine 6.6-8.8% SL, third anal-fin spine 15.1-17.7% SL.
Colour	Body pink dorsally, white below, with 4 narrow red stripes becoming yellow posteriorly (corresponding in position to uppermost dusky body stripes described above); fifth stripe red on head and yellow on sides, originating at corner of mouth and continuing horizontally just below pectoral-fin base to underside of caudal peduncle (stripes completely yellow in smaller individual). Row of small black spots along centre of each of the upper 4 red and yellow body stripes anteriorly, with additional row about midway between and parallel with second and third, and third and fourth stripes anteriorly. Three moderately small white spots below second stripe, evenly spaced under posterior half of dorsal fin. Broad red stripe from anterior edge of orbit to upper lip. Large black spot covering posterior portion of fleshy pectoral-fin base and axilla. Dorsal fin yellow with pink spines and scaly base, membranes hyaline posteriorly, large black spot between first and fourth spines. Caudal fin mostly pale yellow. Anal fin white with faint orange to yellow blotches. Pelvic fin white. Pectoral fin mostly transparent.
Similar Species	Differs from Bodianus leucosticticus (not found in Australia) in having a larger and more prominent black spot at the front of the dorsal fin, and a yellow rather than a red ventral stripe on the side, longer medial-fin spines, predorsal scales reaching forward on the dorsal midline of the head to about the centre of the eye and apparently reaching a smaller maximum size.
Etymology	The specific name paraleucosticticus is from the Greek para (= near), leukos (= white), and stiktos (= spotted), in reference to the close relationship between this species and Bodianus leucosticticus.
Species Citation	Bodianus paraleucosticticus Gomon, 2006, Rec. Aust. Mus. Suppl. 30: 52, Fig. 33, Pl. 4I-J. Type locality: Rarotonga.
Author	Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F. 2024
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Five-striped Hogfish, Bodianus paraleucosticticus Gomon 2006

References

Fricke, R., Earle, J., Pyle, R.L. & Seret, B. 2011. Checklist of the fishes. pp. 343-409 in Bouchet, P., Le Guyader, H. & Pascal, O. (eds) 2011. The Natural History of Santo. Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, IRD, Marseille, Pro-Natura international, Paris, 572 pp.

Gomon, M.F. 2006. A revision of the labrid fish genus Bodianus with descriptions of eight new species. Records of the Australian Museum Supplement 30: 1-133. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0812-7387.30.2006.1460

Kuiter, R.H. 2010. Labridae fishes: wrasses. Seaford, Victoria, Australia : Aquatic Photographics pp. 398.

Russell, B. 2010. Bodianus paraleucosticticus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T187528A8559428. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187528A8559428.en. Accessed on 29 March 2022.