Oahu in Depth - Honolulu, Waikiki and Oahu - page 77

Sea turtles are some of Hanauma Bay's denizens.
REEFFISH Of the approximately 450 types of reef fish here, about 27% are native to Hawaii and
are found nowhere else in the world. During the millions of years it took for the islands to
sprout up from the sea, ocean currents—mainly from Southeast Asia—carried thousands
of marine animals and plants to Hawaii's reef; of those, approximately 100 species adapted
and thrived. You're likely to spot one or more of the following fish while underwater.
Angelfish can be distinguished by the spine, located low on the gill plate. These fish are
very shy; several species live in colonies close to coral.
Blennies are small, elongated fish, ranging from 2 to 10 inches long, with the majority
in the 3- to 4-inch range. Blennies are so small that they can live in tide pools; you might
have a hard time spotting one.
Butterlyish, among the most colorful of the reef fish, are usually seen in pairs (scient-
ists believe they mate for life) and appear to spend most of their day feeding. There are 22
species of butterflyfish, of which three (bluestripe, lemon or milletseed, and multiband or
pebbled butterflyfish) are endemic. Most butterflyfish have a dark band through the eye