This entry was posted on Thursday, September 11th, 2008 at 7:03 pm and is filed under About, Adventure Cruises, History, Information, Sites, Snorkeling, Snuba. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Peacock Razorfish Juvenile/Adult ~ Photos Courtesy Dr. Jack Randall
Sharp forehead! That’s what the ancient Hawaiians called this fish. The Hawaiian name is laenihi, and most likely this was an important food source for all. This fish was eaten raw, salted and dried, and, according to research, also eaten wrapped in taro and steamed.
The Peacock Razorfish is seen from the Indo-Pacific, Red Sea, E. Africa, North to Southern Japan and Hawaii, and south to Lord Howe Island, according to Dr. Randall. They are also known in the Gulf of California to Panama and around the Galapagos Islands. The juveniles will mimic dead, floating leaves with their first dorsal spine forming a long filament that will shorten with age. They usually have five light bars as adults and the belly of the female will turn red. These fish, a part of the wrasse family, are usually solitary and prefer shallow waters (adults less than 20 meters, juveniles in shallow lagoons, harbors and sea weed areas with gravel bottoms). They dine on hard shelled invertebrates, including mollusks and crustaceans like crabs. Their meat is very white and I am told by local fishermen, very tasty.
As a snorkeler and diver, I have seen these beautiful fish many times, but they are skittish, diving into the sandy bottoms when the approach gets too close for their comfort. When you come to Maui, snorkeling in Hawaiian waters is like no other place on earth. Ocean marine life here is really amazing and diverse. Grab your gear and let’s go!
November 25th, 2008 at 2:49 am
galapagos vacation…
Anyone up for trying this out with me?…