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Masked Foxfish
Bodianus flavifrons Gomon, 2001
A Masked Foxfish caught on hook and line at a depth of 230 m, east of Ballina, New South Wales, May 2005. Photo © I. Cameron. View larger image.
A Masked Foxfish caught on hook and line at a depth around 100 m by D. Nobbs, about 3 nautical miles north-west of Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, March 2001. Photo © G. Kelly. View larger image.
A Masked Foxfish caught at a depth of 160 m, southwest of Lord Howe Island, New South Wales by J. Shick, February 2002 (AMS I.41370-001). Photo © G. Kelly. View larger image.
The Masked Foxfish is a newly described species that can be recognised by its colouration.
It is pink above and white below. It has two yellow bands, one across the snout and the second across the forehead to the eyes. The second band continues to the upper rear margin of the operculum. A yellow stripe runs from the back of the mouth to the angle of the preoperculum. The lower region of the operculum is yellow. There is a red blotch on the pectoral fin base. The dorsal fin is pink with a yellow stripe basally and a red spot on the first three to four spines.
The Masked Foxfish grows to at least 42 cm in length.
The scientific name flavifrons comes from flavus (Latin for yellow) and frons (Latin for brow or forehead).
This species is known from off the central coast of New South Wales, the Lord Howe Rise, the Kermadec Ridge off north-eastern New Zealand and off southern New Caledonia.
The Masked Foxfish resembles the Foxfish, but can be separated by differences in colouration.
Related links
- Axilspot Hogfish fact sheet
- Blackfin Hogfish fact sheet
- Diana's Hogfish fact sheet
- Foxfish fact sheet
- Pigfish fact sheet
- View the original description of the Masked Foxfish
- View the Wrasses list
Further reading
- Gomon, M.F. 2001. Descriptions of two new species of Bodianus (Perciformes: Labridae) from Australasian waters. New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 28: 407-416.
- Roberts, C.D & A.L. Stewart. 2002. Two new foxfishes described. Seafood New Zealand. New Zealand Seafood Industry Magazine Limited. February 2002: 81-84.
