This entry was posted on Thursday, July 24th, 2008 at 10:00 pm and is filed under About, Adventure Cruises, 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.
Photo Courtesy Dr. Jack Randall
Hawaiians called it lauwiliwilinukunuku’oi’oi, meaning sharp-beaked wiliwili leaf, according to Mary Pukui. This animal bears the longest name known in the Hawaiian language, but is such a cute little fish. The butterfly family is large, 24 species known in Hawaiian waters, and as far as experts know had little, or no, food value. I have not met one fisherman who catches these fish for food, but there are many local collectors for private aquarium use, and that is unfortunate for this little animal. It puts a great deal of stress on the reef populations, which unfortunately in some places may not recover. There is currently quite a lot of research being done on the reef fish and their numbers and some movement to prevent hunting for aquarium and collectors alike.
Many divers know that butterflyfishes may mate for life so it is not uncommon to see the adults traveling in pairs. Some places on reefs there may be schools that are enormous and the splash of color can be breathtaking. Off Lana’i there is a place where I dove and had a great deal of fun swimming slowly through a large school of butterflyfish, which parted as if I were royalty, coming back together slowly after I passed through. I waited a few moments then approached them slowly again, and like before, they parted for me while keeping a wary eye.
The longnosed butterflyfish will feed on hydroids, fish eggs, and small crustaceans, but seem to prefer tube feet of echinoderms, pedicilaria of sea urchins, and polychaete tentacles, according to researchers. They are diurnal, that is they sleep at night, changing their color patterns, and feed in the daytime. This species may live to be the ripe old age of 18, says Dr. Randall.
Snorkeling with these and other species is a great joy. Visitors coming to the islands should make every effort to get out there and enjoy the wildlife living in and around the reefs of Hawaii.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Lauwiliwilinukunuku’oi’oi! | Maui Snorkeling Trips…
If you are planning a day off, then see this spectacular site for a Maui tour. Its only the best packages of so many varieties is what you are getting in this great site. Come and check it out and discover Maui….
July 31st, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Lauwiliwilinukunuku’oi’oi! | Maui Snorkeling Trips…
When my family was planning to have a true and meaning summer get away, we all browsed online to check our options and this site was the answer. We were surprised seeing the snorkeling in Maui’s water packages that truly we know we will love….