Bodianus Bloch, 1790
Diagnosis: moderately elongate and compressed body. Mouth large. Head length almost equal to body depth. Preoperculum smooth. Jaws with a single row of canine-like teeth, the four on front part stronger and protruding; posterior canine present. Dorsal finrays Xl-XIV + 10; anal finrays 111 + 12-14. Dorsal and ventral caudal finray prolonged in juveniles; caudal fin forked in adults. Scales along lateral line 35-50. Rows of scales above lateral line 5.5-6.5, on cheek 6-9. Base of dorsal and anal fins scaly, head also, except inter-orbital surface and snout. Colour: body and head red or pink. A broad, vertical, purple-brownish stripe on back below hind part of spiny and beginning of soft part of dorsal fin, reaching and just crossing lateral line. Sometimes a dark blotch on caudal peduncle. Upper and lower caudal rays black. Size: to 50 cm SL.
Habitat: Iittoral, near rocks and eel-grass beds. Food: no data. Reproduction: no data.
Distribution: off Madeira and Morocco. Elsewhere, further south from Morocco and in Indo-Pacific.
Species 28; in Clofnam area 1.
Species of this genus in the program:
Bodianus speciosus