About Bodianus frenchii (Klunzinger, 1879)
This species, commonly called the foxfish, has the scientific name Bodianus frenchii (Klunzinger, 1879). Adult foxfish are brown, red, or orange, and have two spots on their back. Juvenile foxfish are brown, with three yellow patches and a black area around the pectoral fin. Foxfish typically live under ledges and in caves. It is a long-lived species that can reach up to 78 years of age, making it one of the two longest-lived wrasse species alongside the western blue groper. Foxfish are protogynous hermaphrodites. They spawn multiple times during late spring and summer, and form distinct pairs when breeding. The foxfish is caught as bycatch in trawl fisheries off the coasts of New South Wales and Western Australia. In Western Australia, it is targeted by recreational anglers, and the state enforces bag limits for the species. It is also collected for the aquarium trade, and is particularly prized in the United States.
