Big Longnose Butterflyfish (lauwiliwili humuhumu 'oi 'oi)

Description:

It was exciting to find both the normal colour of this species and the blackish brown variation of it in the same area. Maybe a mixed mated pair. The black one has only a spot of yellow at the base of the pectoral fin, all the rest is black. The yellow variation has a black head with white on the bottom half, yellow body with a black spot at the base of the tail. Grows to 8 inches.

Habitat:

Indo-Pacific, the black form is rare everywhere but on the Kona coast of Hawaii. Feeds by plucking small crustaceans, especially shrimp, from the coral. It can shoot out its already long snout an extra half inch into crevices to get difficult prey.

Notes:

Has the longest fish name of any Hawaiian fish. Lauwiliwili =leaf of the wiliwili tree; nukunuku = beak; 'oi 'oi = best or sharp. Cool!