About Bodianus mesothorax (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Adult Bodianus mesothorax have a distinct blackish diagonal band that separates the purplish head and anterior body from the whitish to yellowish posterior body. In contrast, juveniles have a dark purple body covered in scattered bright yellow spots. Juvenile axilspot hogfish (Bodianus axillaris) are similar in appearance to juvenile Bodianus mesothorax, but juvenile axilspot hogfish have white spots instead of yellow spots. Juvenile body coloration and pattern change to the adult form when the fish reach 5 to 6 cm (2.0 to 2.4 in) in length. This complete change takes only a few weeks, so intermediate individuals are very rarely recorded. Adult Bodianus mesothorax are distinguished from adult axilspot hogfish by their dark diagonal band, and by the absence of spots on their dorsal and anal fins. Bodianus mesothorax is distributed across the Indo-Pacific, ranging west to the Nicobar Islands in the Andaman Sea, north to Japan, east to Fiji, and south to Australia. This species occurs on reefs at depths between 5 and 40 m (16 to 131 ft), and rarely occurs deeper than 20 m (66 ft). Juveniles specifically live within reef caves, while adult Bodianus mesothorax act as cleaner fish.
