Bodianus mesothorax

Bodianus mesothoraxwhich has a distinct blackish diagonal band between the purplish head end of the body and the whitish to yellowish posterior part. The juveniles are dark purple with two lines of bright yellow spots. They are similar to the juveniles of the axilspot hogfish (Bodianus axillaris) although these have white rather than yellow spots.[3] This species can reach a length of 25 cm (9.8 in). The body pattern and colouration of juveniles changes to the adult pattern when they attain a length of 5–6 centimetres (2.0–2.4 in). They take only a few weeks to change completely and intermediate fish are very rarely recorded.[2] The adults are distinguished from the adults of the axilspot hogfish by the dark diagonal band and the lack of spots on the dorsal fin and the anal fin.[3]

Bodianus mesothorax is found in the eastern Indian Ocean as far west as the Nicobar Islands in the Andaman Sea and in the western Pacific Ocean from Japan I the north and Australia in the south as far east as Fiji.[2]

Bodianus mesothorax can be found on reefs at depths of 5 to 40 m (16 to 131 ft), though rarely below 20 m (66 ft). Juveniles inhabit caves in the reef. Adults of this species clean other fish by eating parasites on the body of other reef fish.[2]

This species can be found in the aquarium trade.[2] It is commonly imported for the fish trade from the Philippines and Indonesia.[4]

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• Photos of Bodianus mesothorax on Sealife Collection