The reef here in Hawaii, even when healthy, is not terribly colorful. Sure, you get the occasional pinkish or tea-green clump of cauliflower coral, but in general the reef is a healthy shade of tan to brown. This drab coloration (sorry, coral!) provides good contrast for the animals on the reef that ARE colorful. One of the most colorful types of reef fish, and one of my favorites to photograph, is the butterflyfish.
Butterflyfish refers to a grouping of fish with similar squarish body shapes and small, brush-like teeth. What makes them stand out are their colors. And stand out they do! While many fish tend to blend in with the environment, the butterflyfish does the opposite--with a flair that would make Lady Gaga envious. Sit back and enjoy a handful of the many species of butterflyfish we have in Hawaii.
The forceps or common longnose butterflyfish – lauwiliwilinukunuku ‘oi’oi – Forcipigerflavissimus is one of the two longnose varieties of butterflyfish. It is very similar in appearance to the big longnose butterflyfish.
The big longnose butterflyfish – lauwiliwilinukunuku ‘oi’oi – Forcipigerlongirostris is the second variety of longnose butterflyfish found on the reef. This beautiful fish comes in two flavors—banana and chocolate.
The ornate butterflyfish – kīkākapu - Chaetodonornatissimus is one of my favorite butterflyfish. These butterflyfish, like most others, are usually found in pairs. Ornate butterflyfish primarily feed on corals.
The fourspot butterflyfish – lauhau -Chaetodonquadrimaculatusgets its name from the two whitespots that adorn each of its sides (2+2=4, for the math impaired). These butterflyfish are omnivores, feeding on both coral polyps and algae.
The threadfin butterflyfish – kīkākapu - Chaetodonauriga is another omnivore which feeds mostly on invertebrates. These can often be found in pairs—this particular picture was shot in Hanauma Bay, just another reason you should go visit J.
The reticulated butterflyfish –Chaetodonreticulatus has been my white whale, so to speak. I have only seen them on a few occasions on Oahu and even then, only in a few spots. Funny story—I was so excited to see one on the Big Island, and so absorbed in following it through the viewfinder of my camera, that I didn’t notice the background go grey—as in grey reef shark grey. Luckily, I had a fresh wetsuit to change into later…
The pyramid butterflyfish –Hemitaurichthyspolylepis (sure wish my spellchecker knew Greek and Latin, too) is generally found in deeper water near ledges and drop-offs. The common name is pyramid butterflyfish, but you really need to be an abstract artist or Egyptologist to see the pyramid, I think.
The racoon butterflyfish – kīkākapu - Chaetodonlunulalooks pretty much like the name would suggest, with the white and black banding mask over the eye and above. Although this image is of a single animal, you can often see them in schools of dozens.
The multiband butterflyfish – kīkākapu - Chaetodonmulticinctus is one of the smaller of the butterflyfishes. Like the ornate and fourspot butterflyfish, the multiband butterflyfish feeds on coral polyps. This particular image was shot on the Big Island.
The teardrop butterflyfish – lauhau- Chaetodonunimaculatusis another butterflyfish with an easily-understood name, having a large, upside-down teardrop in the middle of its body. Although they may hang out in small gangs and display the teardrop proudly, admission into the Crips is probably not gonna happen.
The oval butterflyfish –kapuhili - Chaetodonlunulatus is one of the most beautifully colored butterflyfishes on the reef. The bright orange-yellow coloration mixed with the venetian-blind stripes make this fish a mesmerizing subject. The oval butterflyfish feeds mostly on corals.
The milletseed butterflyfish – lauwiliwili - Chaetodonmiliarisis one of the more common butterflyfishes found on the reef. They can often be found in large aggregates and are known to crowd around divers. They are omnivores, feeding on algae, plankton, and the bread and peas that misguided reef visitors try to hand-feed to them.
Last but not least in my list is the lined butterflyfish – kīkākapu - Chaetodonlineolatus. This is one of the largest butterflyfish on the reef. In my experience, these large butterflyfish are also rather skittish and hard to photograph.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my butterfly collection. There are many more species to be found on the reef so grab your mask and snorkel and go have some fun identifying them!
Oceanic Time Warner Cable's Community Website
