Reef Fish Guide for Hawaii Beaches
What characteristics identify an animal as a fish? It isn’t fins or spending their entire lives in the water because many marine mammals have fins and spend their entire lives in the water. In order for an animal to be a fish it must have all these attributes…
- Gills. Fish extract oxygen that’s present in water with their gills.
- Bones. Fish are vertebrates.
- Cold-blooded. Fishes’ internal body temperature is the same temperature as the water surrounding them.
- FIns. All fish have fins. Fish fins come in many different shapes and sizes.
Fish List (Hawaiian names are in parenthesis)
Stripebelly Puffer (Keke)
Stripebelly Puffer
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4hpblcu
Spotted Trunkfish (Moa)
Spotted Trunkfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4hfwht6
Teardrop Butterflyfish (Lau-hau)
Teardrop Butterflyfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4sup8h8
Forcepsfish (Lau-wiliwili-nukunuku-‘oi’oi)
Forcepsfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4hdkfe5
Bluestripe Butterflyfish (Kikakapu)
Bluestripe Butterflyfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4mnehqe
Bullethead Parrotfish (Uhu)
Bullethead Parrotfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4wzsunh
Spectacled Parrotfish (Uhu’ahu’ula)
Spectacled Parrotfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4r7bpqk
Hawaiian Hogfish (A’awa)
Hawaiian Hogfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4dknjkl
Yellowstripe Goatfish (Weke)
Yellowstripe Goatfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4uudvsg
Saddle Wrasse (Hinalea lau-wili)
Saddle Wrasse
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4ezmgwe
Ornate Wrasse (Ohua)
Ornate Wrasse
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4a9mgp2
Cornetfish (Nunu peke)
Cornetfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4t38ftw
Trumpetfish (Nunu)
Trumpetfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/45tvse9
Yellow Tang (Lau’i-pala)
Yellow Tang
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4bkt7kt
Convict Tang (Manini)
School of Convict Tang
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4t7rlo8
Lagoon Triggerfish (Humuhumu-nukunuku-a-pua’a)
Lagoon Triggerfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4feae4r
Bluefin Trevally (Omilu)
Bluefin Trevally
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4n9bkyk
Yellowmargin Moray Eel (Puhi-paka)
Yellowmargin Moray Eel
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4k4mueq
Whitemouth Moray Eel (Puhi-‘oni’o)
Whitemouth Moray Eel
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4pe9n3a
Orangespine Unicornfish (Umaumalei)
Orangespine Unicornfish
Photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/4txnoqe
To many joyful beach experiences!
— Lisa Dworkin
