Fishes of Hawai'i
Family Labridae - wrasses
Bodianus bilunulatus - Hawaiian hogfish -
'A'awa
 |
| Description: females are yellow & white,
with black on head and base of soft dorsal. Males are purplish-blue with light blotches on
lower jaw, caudal projections. |
| Size: to 45 cm |
| Habitat: found on reefs from 25 to 110 ft. |
| Diet: feed on mollusks, urchins, brittle
stars, crabs, and some small fishes |
| Juvenile |
 |
|
| Female |
 |
|
| Cheilinus unifasciatus - Ringtail wrasse -
Po'ou |
|
| Description: varies from reddish to greenish, vertical
white bar on caudal peduncle; jutting lower jaw; large head |
| Size: to 45 cm |
| Habitat: often found hovering over the bottom looking for
food |
| Diet: carnivorous: fishes (surgeon and filefish), crabs,
brittle stars and urchins |
| Coris gaimard - Yellowtail coris -
Hïnälea `Akilolo
"Headache" |
| Description: juvenile - red with
black & white spots (x5); female - bright blue spots caudally, yellow tail; male
- subdued blue spots caudally, yellow tail, bicolor dorsal & anal |
| Size: to 37 cm |
| Habitat: Found on most Hawaiian reefs |
| Diet: carnivore: mollusks, crabs and hermit
crabs |
| Juvenile |
 |
|
| Male |
 |
|
 Coris
venusta - Elegant coris |
|
| Description: mostly shades of brown with mottled red
markings; head with pinkish lines radiating from mouth; parallel diagonal cross-bars below
midline; dark spot at posterior dorsal base |
| Size: to 17.5 cm |
| Habitat: shallow water on reefs |
| Diet: carnivore: pelecypods, gastropods and many other
invertebrates |
| Gomphosus varius - Bird wrasse -
Hïnälea
`Akilolo |
| Male |
|
|
| Description: female - long snout with reddish
color and white face with black body; male - long snout and dull green |
| Size: to 30 cm |
| Habitat: very active fish commonly found on inshore reef
areas |
| Diet: carnivores: small benthic
crustaceans; crabs,
shrimps, brittle stars and mollusks |
| Halichoeres ornatissimus - Ornate wrasse -
Hilu |
|
| Description: orange head and spotting laterally;
iridescent green markings, one or two black spots on dorsal fin |
| Size: to 15 cm |
| Habitat: commonly found inshore on reefs |
| Diet: carnivore: small benthic crustaceans and mollusks |
| Labroides
phthirophagus - Hawaiian cleaner wrasse |
|
| Description: yellow, purple, blue longitudinal stripes;
usually a yellow head with a bar through the eye in adults; ""jerky""
swimming" |
| Size: to 10 cm |
| Habitat: found from 2 to 300 feet |
| Diet: eats the crustacean
ecto-parasites off fish, as well
as some mucus and old scales |
| Stethojulis
balteata - Belted wrasse - 'Omaka |
|
| Description: female - greenish, yellow pectoral
axil; male - longitudinal orange stripe (pectoral to caudal) |
| Size: to 15cm |
| Habitat: reef zones |
| Diet: Ffeds mainly on pelecypods, peanut worms,
gastropods, and small crustaceans |
| Thallosoma ballieui - Blacktail wrasse -
Hïnälea
Luahine |
|
| Description: dark tail at peduncle with white posterior
caudal; brownish or grayish; numerous short vertical brown marks; bluish on chin and
belly; juveniles = monochromatic greenish/yellowish |
| Size: to 37.5 cm |
| Habitat: only found in Hawaiian waters on reefs |
| Diet: crustaceans of all sorts as well as fish and
gastropods |
|
