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Because of its isolation most fish species
around Hawaii originated as larvae drifting in from elsewhere in the
Pacific. Many larvae types with short larval stages would have died
before reaching the islands so some filtering of species occurred en route.
Anemonefish larval stage lasts about a week, whilst Surgeonfish can drift as
larvae for months. So Anemonefish are unknown in Hawaii whilst
Surgeonfish are abundant.
This initial whittling down of species was
then reinforced by the pressures created by the environment found around
Hawaii, with its cooler, nutrient poor waters.
Consequently, there are many fewer species of
fish (680) in Hawaiian waters than say the Philippines (2,000) or Micronesia
(1,400). However, its isolation has encouraged endemism with species
developing that are unique to the islands. These endemic species are often
perfectly adapted to the Hawaiian environment and therefore abundant, though
there are some exceptions. Also some species uncommon elsewhere seem
to have found Hawaii particularly favourable - e.g. the Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma
flavescens)
The listing of species below is by no means
comprehensive. It is simply some of the Hawaiian species that might be
of most relevance and interest to the aquarist.
The list is organised by families with
species listings beneath. Genus and species names are given first,
then the common name. Where a species is reported as
being endemic to
Hawaii this has been indicated with
 . Comments
on distribution are added for some species.
To jump straight to a family use these
hyperlinks: Angelfish, Anthias,
Bigeyes, Blennies,
Boxfishes,
Butterflyfishes, Damselfish,
Eels, Filefish,
Gobies, Hawkfish,
Moorish
Idols, Pufferfish, Scorpionfish,
Surgeonfish, Triggerfish, and
Wrasses.
Angelfish
(5 species in Hawaii)
| Centropyge |
fisheri |
FIsher's Angelfish |
|
depths of 25m or more |
| |
loricus |
Flame Angelfish |
|
rare in Hawaii, depths
of 20m or more |
| |
potteri |
Potter's Angelfish |
|
the only common Angelfish in Hawaii, depths of 5m or more |
| Genicanthus |
personatus |
Masked Angelfish |
|
rare on main islands,
usually at depths of 60m or more |
| Holocanthus |
arcuatus |
Bandit Angelfish |
|
usually occurring at 30m or more |
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Anthias
(17 species in Hawaii, including Groupers)
| Pseudanthias |
bicolor |
Bicolor Anthias |
|
usually seen
below 20m |
| |
thompsoni |
Hawaiian / Thompson's Anthias |
|
usually seen
below 20m |
| |
ventralis |
Longfin Anthias |
|
prefer depths of
30m or more |
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Bigeyes
(2 species in Hawaii)
| Heteropriacanthus |
cruentatus |
Bigeye |
|
| Priacanthus |
meeki |
Hawaiian Bigeye |
|
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Blennies
(14 species in Hawaii)
| Cirripectes |
vanderbilti |
Scarface Blenny |
|
very
common |
| Istiblennius |
zebra |
Zebra Blenny |
|
|
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Boxfishes
(5 species in Hawaii)
| Lactoria |
fornasini |
Thornback Cowfish |
|
|
| Ostracion |
meleagris |
Spotted Boxfish |
|
common in calmer
shallows |
| |
whitleyi |
Whitley's Boxfish |
|
|
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Butterflyfishes
(24 species in Hawaii)
| Chaetodon |
auriga |
Threadfin Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
citrinellus |
Speckled Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
ephippium |
Saddleback Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
fremblii |
Bluestripe Butterflyfish |
|
common in
shallow water |
| |
kleinii |
Bluehead Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
lineolatus |
Lined Butterflyfish |
|
uncommon |
| |
lunula |
Raccoon Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
miliaris |
Milletseed / Lemon Butterflyfish |
|
most common of
the species, schools common at all depths |
| |
multicinctus |
Pebbled Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
ornatissimus |
Ornate Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
reticulatus |
Reticulated Butterflyfish |
|
uncommon |
| |
tinkeri |
Tinker's Butterflyfish |
|
rare |
| |
trifasciatus |
Oval Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
unimaculatus |
Teardrop Butterflyfish |
|
|
| Forcipiger |
flavissimus |
Common Longnosed
Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
longirostris |
Rare Longnosed Butterflyfish |
|
rare except for
Kona Coast, Big Island |
| Hemitaurichthys |
polylepis |
Pyramid Butterflyfish |
|
|
| |
thompsoni |
Businessman Butterflyfish |
|
|
| Heniochus |
diphreutes |
Pennant Butterflyfish |
|
usually found
15m or more, occasionally shallower waters |
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Damselfish
(14 species in Hawaii)
| Abudefduf |
abdominalis |
Hawaiian Sergeant |
|
common |
| Chromis |
agilis |
Agile Chromis |
|
common,
particularly abundant off Kona Coast, Big Island |
| |
hanui |
Chocolate Dip Chromis |
|
|
| |
vanderbilti |
Blackfin Chromis |
|
|
| |
verater |
Threespot Chromis |
|
usually found
below 10m |
| Dascyllus |
albisella |
Hawaiian Domino Damselfish |
|
|
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Eels (over
40 species of Moray Eel in Hawaii)
| Echidna |
nebulosa |
Snowflake Eel |
|
|
| Enchelycore |
pardalis |
Dragon Moray Eel |
|
rare on the main
islands, more common elsewhere |
| Grymnothorax |
meleagris |
Whitemouth Moray Eel |
|
most common
moray |
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FIlefishes
(7 species in Hawaii)
| Pervagor |
spilosoma |
Fantail Filefish |
|
moderately common, though abundant some
years |
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Gobies & Dartfish
(26 species of Gobies and 2 of Dartfish in Hawaii)
| Bathygobius |
fuscus |
Common Goby |
|
|
| Priolepis |
aureoviridis |
Golden Green Goby |
|
|
| Nemateleotris |
magnifica |
Fire Dartfish |
|
rare in Hawaii |
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Hawkfish
(6 species in Hawaii)
| Cirrhitus |
fasciatus |
Redbanded Hawkfish |
|
very common |
| Oxycirrhites |
typus |
Longnose Hawkfish |
|
uncommon,
usually depths of 30m or more |
| Paracirrhites |
arcatus |
Arc-eye Hawkfish |
|
common |
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Moorish Idols
(only 1 species)
| Zanclus |
cornutus |
Moorish Idols |
|
often seen in pairs,
occasionally found in small schools |
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Pufferfish
(12 species in Hawaii)
| Arothron |
meleagris |
Spotted Puffer |
|
|
| Canthigaster |
amboinensis |
Ambon Toby |
|
occasionally
seen around coral |
| |
coronata |
Crowned Toby |
|
usually depths
of 7m or more |
| |
jactator |
Hawaiian Whitespot Toby |
|
most common
Tobys in Hawaii, usually in pairs |
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Scorpionfish
(25 species in Hawaii)
| Dendrochirus |
barberi |
Green Lionfish |
|
|
| Pterois |
sphex |
Hawaiian Lionfish |
|
not common, most
often found off Kona Coast, Big Island |
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Surgeonfish
(23 species in Hawaii)
| Acanthurus |
achilles |
Achilles Tang |
|
|
| |
dussumieri |
Eyestripe Surgeonfish |
|
|
| |
nigricans |
Goldrim Surgeonfish |
|
uncommon in most of Hawaii
though abundant off Kona Coast, Big Island |
| |
nigrofuscus |
Lavender Tang |
|
common shallow water fish,
often school with Convict Tangs |
| |
triostegus |
Convict Tang |
|
abundant everywhere in Hawaii
except areas of heavy coral growth |
| |
xanthopterus |
Yellowfin Surgeonfish |
|
|
| Ctenochaetus |
hawaiiensis |
Black Surgeonfish / Chevron
Tang |
|
uncommon in most of Hawaii
except off Kona Coast, Big Island |
| |
strigosus |
Goldring Surgeonfish |
|
|
| Naso |
literatus |
Naso / Lipstick Tang |
|
common in shallow waters |
| Zebrasoma |
flavescens |
Yellow Tang |
|
abundant only in Hawaii,
though found elsewhere |
| |
veliferum |
Sailfin Tang |
|
|
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Triggerfish
(10 species in Hawaii)
| Melichthys |
niger |
Black Triggerfish |
|
|
| |
vidua |
Pinktail Triggerfish |
|
|
| Rhinecanthus |
aculeatus |
Lagoon Triggerfish |
|
|
| |
rectangulus |
Picasso Triggerfish |
|
the Hawaii State fish |
| Sufflamen |
bursa |
Lei Triggerfish |
|
|
| |
fraenatus |
Bridled Triggerfish |
|
|
| Xanthichthys |
auromarginatus |
Gilded / Blue-Throat
Triggerfish |
|
most common off Kona Coast,
Big Island |
| |
mento |
Crosshatch Triggerfish |
|
|
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Wrasses
(43 species in Hawaii)
| Anampses |
chrysocephalus |
Psychedelic Wrasse |
|
|
| |
cuvier |
Pearl Wrasse |
|
most often seen
in rocky areas close to shore |
| Bodianus |
bilunulatus |
Hawaiian Hogfish |
|
|
| Cerrhilabrus |
jordani |
Flame Wrasse |
|
usually at
depths of 30m or more |
| Coris |
gaimard |
Yellowtail Coris |
|
|
| Gomphosus |
varius |
Bird Wrasse |
|
|
| Labroides |
phthirophagus |
Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse |
|
|
| Novaculichthys |
taeniouris |
Dragon Wrasse / Rockmover |
|
|
| Pseudocheilinus |
octotaenia |
Eightline Wrasse |
|
|
| |
tetrataenia |
Fourline Wrasse |
|
|
| Thalassoma |
duperrey |
Saddle Wrasse |
|
most abundant
Wrasses in Hawaii |
| |
lutescens |
Sunset Wrasse |
|
uncommon in
Hawaii |
Sources: Hoover, Randall, others
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