VVa~k~k.~,"quench C uelebeak
The Waikiki Aquarium Is part of the University of Hawaii. Monoa. ond is operated in partnership with the Friends of the Waikiki Aquarium. Your tax dollars and donation ~ our programs ond exhibits.
The Aquarium haS been IOCated in Kapiotani Park since 1004. Our major goal Is to provide enjoyable educallonai experiences about Hawaiian and South PacNc marine fffe for Hawaii residents and visitors of all ages,
Thisguidsrbcx> was designed lo make your visit more enjoyable and informative, We hope lf wffi be of use to you at the Aquarium and that you will enjoy reading It offe yOu leave us. Labels above live exhibits identity disp+red anlmatS; this bOOk prOvldeS addfflonat Information about the exhlbffs. Numbers on labels refer to page numberS: if you wauld like tO know more about an animal you see, refer to the page numberkr this book.
Thisguidebook ls an experknenfat edfficn and focuseson Gallery 3, Diversityand Adaptatton:and Gailery 4, South Pacific Marine Life. We have not enumerated specific fishes in Gallery 4 in this book. But In a future edition, we hope to do this as welf as to add Information about Gallery 1. Hawaiian Waters anci Man; and Gallery 2, Hawaiian Marine Habffats.
We wouldappreciate your thoughtson this book. Thankstor coming and happy fish watchingi
Lelghlon Taylor, Ph,D. Director +ollery 3
RSITY AND ADA ATION Nearly 5X species of fishes and an even greater number of invertebrates inhabit ncaa,hore Hawaiian waters. They have evolved various physical and behavioral adaptatlons for finding shelter. capturing prey, avoiding predation, and for reproducing.
This gallery fe~s masters of carrouflage, nocturnal prowlers. specialized plankton feeders, rare and endemic Hawaiian fishes, fishes displaying anti-predator defensive adaptlons, and fishes that undergo sex reversal.
f a«legal«hvf nQH«« 'leOCPcm ElleII dl/ol foal««70 ThcFI clio ~ cl 0 Qflgkl Ipec~ cyRect Aster«pleal ««nero thon on«leo ar a «e QX RP/ERSAL CAMOUFLAGE
Many reef fishchange sexduring their The key to survival in the ocean Is to get lifetime, Sex reversal occsxs in species of food and to keep from becoming food. angeNsh,damsels, basslets,wrasses, An effective way to avoid enemies is to and parroNsh. blend in with the surroundings also making it easier to sneak up on prey. The pattern ol sex change varies with Thistrick is called camouflage. each specise. Long-finned basslets and flame wrasselive In small gapa of Tunas,sharks, and other open-water lish clat 3 to 5 adults, With only one mole make use of countershadlng, Their dark fishIn each group, It farms0 kind of fish upper surfaces and lighter-colored "harem." N the mate Is removed, the bodies make it difficult for predators to dCsyslnantfemale in the harem see these animals they merge with the tranSfarrnSinta a male; her Ovaries dark water when seen from above, and atraphy, testesdevelop, and the they merge with the light from the resulting tv~as cause a color surface when viewed from below, change, Thenew maksnow leads and breedsthe harem,The change Is not Animals also conceal themselves by reve rslbks. Imitating their environment. Octopus, anglerfish. and flatfish can change their skin color ond pattern to look remarkably like their surroundings,This form of camouflage is called blending,
Camouflage can take the form of disruptive coloration, Bars. strlpes. spats, and blotches of color break up the distinctive shape of an anlrnaVs body so it can go unseen whether it is hunter or hunted,
Some animals are able to look like other organisms.Animals that are preyed upon use this strategy to mimic their less tasty neighbors. Some predators mimic harmless marine life in order to get closer to food sources "wolf in sheep's clothing" approach,
HOCTURNAL FISHES After sunset,fishes such as squirrelfish. cardinaifish, and bigeye come out of caves and crevices in the reef to feed. Nocturnalodaptatlons equip them to find prey and escape predators in the dim-light environment.
Adaptations include a keen sense of smell and very large eyes which collect as much available light as possible. Many of thesefishes are deep reddish in color.a camouflagefor dim light theirbodies reflect very little light and seemto blendwith dark surroundings. EHDEfifiISM CALQIFICATIO Hawoi '" 'oundno he Limestone. chalk, ond marble are solid forms of calcium carbonate CaCO>! ss called -en~ The world's oceans are filled with this blologIsts.The sadd@ dissolved mineral. Many marine organismscan remove CaCO, from sea ~te~iyflsh ~ water tO make SOlid Skeletons ExornpleS endern!c How< ll are shells. coral skeletons. and sea star and sea urchin spines.Organisms like Hawaii's isolationin the pacific may diatoms produce limestone skeietons account forthe high percentage of known as diatom~ earth which endemic forms.For example. ancestors we use in aquarium ond swimming pool af saddte-back wrasse and Potters filters, The white cliffs of Dover In angelfish may have coionlzeclnewly England aie made up of frllNOnsOf created shores when few fish lived here, these skeletons. Free from competition with other species. they evolved into the unique Hawaii's white sand beaches are forms we see today. compceed largely of limestone produced by reef animals and plants. ln contrast with endemic species, Many marine algae plants! make HCrwaiI's reefs are alsO horne tO flShes limestone: coralline red algae. that are widespread: lonp-ncoed Important in cemeniing our reefs twtterflyfish occur from the Red Sea togefher. build up our coral reefs as throughout the tropical Indian and much as corals animals! do. Halimeda. pacific Oceans. even reaching Mexk:o, a gteen olga cornrnon cn shallow reefs, produces o limestone matrix that contributes significantly fo beach sand. DEf EN SIVE ADAPTATIONS
Some of the reef fish In this gallery have PIAI4KTON FEEOERS evolved unusual adaptations for avoiding predaticn. The puffer or "Plankton" comes from o Greek word balloonfish can inflate itself when meaning wanderer. The name fits these thixsatened; and If if Is somehow eaten. tiny. often microscopic plants ond iltS internal argus are tOXIC. animals that are carried by currents. Many plankton spend their entire lives A close relative of the puffer, the adrift; others. like many fish ond porcupinefish is covered with hundreds crustaceans. are wanderers only during of modified scales that look like long, their larval stage. sharp spines. These stand erect when the fish is inflated, Plankton are the foundation of the marine food web. Plant plankton The boxfish has scales modified info [phytoplankfon] and the animal ~y armor and can excrete o toxin counterpart, zooplankton. are the I'ood when alarmed, This can have disastrous sources for numerous an/mats from results ln an aQuarium, olher plankton to fish io great baleen whales and filter-feeding sharks. The cowfish is closely related to the boxfish but bearsiong, formidablehorns Large, open ocean plankton feeders over its eyes strain their food through elaborate. oral sieves catching food much like a net pushed through water. Small plankton feeders can snatch individual plonkters. xavier but terflyfish and oval damselfish dart about the reef. picking ot seemingly invisible items in the waker ANQKLFIStt55 Pomacanthidae Angelfishesand butferftyfishesare so similar that they were once considered members of the same fornily. The angelfish con be distinguished by a long spineat the corner of its gill cover. Six species of angelfish live in HawaII, Smaller oneseat algae and organic debrlS. larger OneSfeed OnSpOngeS. one species eats zooplankton. Like butterflyflshes,graceful angeNshes are highly prizedby aquarlsts, Petter'~ artgefflshCentnvpy~ fetteri Thiscommon endemic filshgrows to about 5 inches and Is important to Hawaii's gquarium fish trade, Qusset and deep blue verticle bars characterize the Potter'sangelfish, named after Frederick Pofter, first director ot the Waikiki Aauarium,
Ffartseangelfish gen~tr lorlculus For some firne. this species was not thoughtto occurhere. approaching only as closely as Johnston island; but in recent years. It has been found in Hawaiianwaters. It Isa Small,bright red fish with Irregular, dark. vertical barS ond commiondshigh prices in aquarium stores.
FKtOFtStfi5 Anlennariidae Commerson'sfrogflsh Antennarlus cornrnersonii ThiStISh haS grawn itSOwn fiShing pale ond balt from the first ray of its dorsal fin. tt uses this to lure small fish which it gulps down whole. The rest of the frogrlsh'sbody iscamouf loped: Its mottled COIOrcmd tumpy Skinblend perfeolly with the COral baffcm. Here the frcgflsh"walks" on pelvic anclpectoral finsthol resemble legs. 4IQ EYESPriac anfhrdae
'aweoweo Pfiacanfhus cruenlatus
Bigeye are fOund in trcproai waterS round Ihe world. The species Is o valuable food fish. and grows lo about a foot, Ifs large mouth slants upward and like mony rechmaI fish, It Is reddish !n cOIOr and big-eyed, it feedS rnOlnly on larvae of tish and crustaceans. In old Hawaii, large schoofs of bigeyes swimming Inshore were believed to herald the death Of O Chief.
TRQHKFISHESOstraclonildae rnoa. rnakukana
The boxtish or trunkfish is eosEy IdentIAed. The bony "box" which encloses Its body is made up of slx- sided plates that are fusedtogether, This restricts Its swimming to sculling its tins and tail. Its slow movements seem to make it easy prey, but many boxtlshes secrete lethal toxlns. When feeding. It often stands on Its head and squirts water InfO the SCxid to expOse animals and plants which are sucked Into its mouth. in Hawaii, no species grows longer then 9 inches.
4UTTERFLYFISHESChaefodontidae klkakapu, lau-hau
Exotic rect dwellers. butterflyfishes come in blue. yellow, orange. red. white. and black. but no green varieties live here. Their boclies are high and thin. They flit in and out of the reef where some dine on coral polyps and others on worms. zooplankton, and algoe. These fish are of tittle value to fishermen. but they command high prices in the aauartum business. fvlany species form pairs which patrol a horne range or territory year after year, ~tttetseed butterftyfish Chaetodon mtltaris
tau-wiltwili This5-Inch fish Is characterized by vertical rows of tiny black dots on ifs yellow body, Thesedots look like seeds; hence its name. It Isa very common bUtferftyftshond feedson zooplankton among the reefs,
Ifctckt tp butterf tyfisis Chaetodon kleinil
kikakapu Tl blackllp butt ~tyftshdisplays two wide. brown barson Ifs orange-yeilow body. It Isfound throughoutthe Pacific ctnd IndianOoeons and growsto about 4 inches.
PannantfisfiHentochus d~lhreutes
kltltkthl
Thisbeautiful fish with lfsbroad black bars and yellow fail is offen confused with themoorish Idot to whichit isonly dlstanfty related, Pennantflshare plankton feedersand frectuenftyoccur In targegroups above thebottom; rnaortshidols are solitaryand feed on sponges.
CARDtt4AI.ASHESApogonldae 'upapalu Mcslecardlnalflshes incubate the eggs. Thesedevoted fathers keep the eggs In their mouthsfor 4 weeks,fasting the entire time,Most are nocturnalspecies, and feed on zooplankton,they sekfom exceed 0 inches in length. ElAMSELFISHESPomacentrldoe Most damselfishesare small and showy, but theirpugnacity usually make fhem pooraquarium fish. A highbody with a singlenostril on each side of itssnout mostfish have two! is a family characteristic. dne-seasdamsel D~asc lus alblsella
alo-'iio'I The one-spotdamsel has o black body with o whiltespot on each side and a very shortsnout, This 5-Inch fish is endemic to Hawalk Juveniles swim in small schools around coral heods and feed on zooplankton.Adults have larger, more diffusespots and feed high up in the waler.
OVal ChrOrfilS ChrOrnis OvallS
The oval chrornls' steel-blue to silver color is unique In the damselfish family. ThilS endemlC SpeCies has a deeply- forked tall and feeds on zooplankton. Adults are about 5 inches long.
EELS
Eels are highly-specialized fishesand comprise a wide range of families. AlthOugh mOst live In hOleS and CreviCeS In coral. same can also be found in the open oceon and on sandy bottoms, Size varies from severlal inches to 5 feet, bvl oil eels have the same elongated shape and general reduction of fins,
CONQERor WHffEEELS Congrldae puhi-uho
Eels In this family ilnhabit hath shallow and deep waters,The silvery-whitecolor ancllarge pectoral fins distinguish the congers from other Hawaiian eels. The mueacrreconger Ccnrger c~inereus growsto 3 feet or more and lives among shallowreefs; it is highly valued for food. noworranlraraon ool a~mana nano rlonsos Thissrnol'I thin bodied eel is adapted to livingInsand. Hundreds livetogether in colonies,each in its own vertical burraw.It ilS shy. SeldOrn entirely leaving itsburrow; itextends about fwo thirds of Hsbody out of the sand to feedon plankton,When large numbers of fhese gray-greeneels sway to and fro as they feed,they resemble garden plants blowingIn a breeze.
MORAY RL,S Muraenidae
puhi AllhcughmOrayS IOOk dangerOuS, moSt are ratherretiring, Secause they muSt keeptheir mouths open to breathe, moroysusuoliy show their teeth, If sufflclenHyprovoked. a moraymay bite, Itsbackward-slanting teeth and tenacious hold can produce severe wOundS.During the day, mOStspecleS remain In the safety Of hOlesin the reef, At nlpht.they ventureout to forage for fiSh,rncltuSks, and CruStaCeans,A welt- developed senseof smell enables the moray to find prey In the dark and in reef crevices. Needle-like teeth are used to grab big fish which are swallowed whole. Some morays may exceed a length of 5 feet. yorrawmarllln moray ~Laaaonrrs flovima~rlnatus
puhi- paka
This eel has a brown body with dark brown spots, but its distinctive feature is the bright green border around Hsfins, One of the more common large eels, this moray grows to about 4 feet.
12 SnOWflakemaray Echidna nebuiosa puhi-kapo
The Snowflake moray has pebble-like teeth which it uses for CrushingmolluSk shelis.Each of the dark blotches on its sides has a round, light center. Uncommon in Hawaii, It grows to less Ihan 2 feet. Zebra moray G~mnomuraenozebra
This eel is black with white stripes oround Its body, Uke snowflake morays. lt haspebble-like teeth and is not found in lorge numbers.It growsto about 3 feet. but juvenile snowfloke and zebra morays are excellent additions to an aquarium.They quickly ieam to take food offered from forceps,
FfLERSHSSIVlonacanthldoe 'o'lli. 'o'ill-lepa, 'o'ill-'uwi'uwl
The Fiteftsh is named for its tough, sandpaperlikeskin. The fOremOst dorsal finsform o long spinewhich can inflict painfuiwounds on the unwary,The powerfuljaws and sharpteeth con fend off predatorsas well as rip up coral. sponges.and mollusksfor food, Fileflshesrage from 5 inchesto 2 feei.
HAWKFf8HES CIrrhltldae
pill-ko'a. po'o-pa'a
These colorful reef fishes have thickenecl lower pectoral rays thot are used to wedge themselves into coral crevices. Hawkfishes in Hawaii are often found in shallow water where they perch on coral heads and swoopdown hawk- like! on their prey of smail fish and Invertebrates. One species the Iong nosecl hawkftsh! is found in deeper water associated with black corol trees. PARROTFISHf5 Scartdae
These fishes are well named: like their feathered namesake. parrotfishes are strikingly colored, and their teeth have fused to form beak-like jaws. These are used to scrape algae from rocks and to grind coral. This endless scraping of coral helps produce sand ln tropical ace PORCUPINEPISHESDlodontldae 'o'opu akola, kokala When threatened, a spiny puffer or porcuplneflsh fills itself with water. This increcees its size and also causes its sharp spines to stand erect, Adults may reach 2 feet In length. P UFFERSTetraodontidae 'o'opu-hue, keke Puffers, also called blowfish, or baIIoonfish. swallow water or air to expand their body, making it too large to be eaten. Some puf fers have another defense, toxic nerve poisons in their skin and Internal organs. In Japan where it is a delicacy, the puffer must be carefully prepared by licensed chefs to remove all toxins, The puffer's teeth are fused into a beak, enabling it to eat such bottom-dwelling Invertebrates as sea urchins, crabs. and snails, l4 StrlpebeRypuffer Arothonhispidus 'o'opu-hue Themost common puffer in Hawaii is gray-greenwith dork stripes on itsbelly and whitespots on its back. The smooth puffergrows to about f0 inches. Hawaiian whitespotted toby C %list Jactator Smamestof Hawaii's puffers, tNs species growsto only3 inches,This puffer is a commonsight to snorkelersoff Waikiki and ilseasily recognized by its white spottedbody and vivid green eyes. SQNRRELFISHESHoiocentridae 'ola'lhi. 'u'u Squirrelflshesare nocturnaland large eyeshelp find their majordiet Items, ctustacems, Most squirrelflshes are roughand spinywith red bodies and range from 6 inches to 2 feet. Squirrelfishesare wary and difficult to catch, but larger ones have great comrnercilal value locally. SURGEONFlSHESAcanthuridae Thesefishes must be handled with ccrc, because sharp spines at the base of the tail can inflict gashes. Some surgeonfisheshave a singlefolding spec whileothers have a pair of fixed spines.Often referredto as tangs," most are herbivorous. Collvlct tahg AcalithulUs ~tAQsl us maninl The most abundant surgeonfish here, this species displays black vertical bars on its grey body. Somemanini grow to about 9 inches. During the day. this fish eats algae and at night, restson the bofforn. stmmoson'~ surtseonttsh Acahthurus thr~soni Thisis ce uncommon species end feeds on plankton high above the bottom, it ~s a darkbrown spot on a body that rangesfrom blue to gray. NSfeSISfneISnfCOmttSh Nasa unlcarnls kala Thekala has a hornor bony promkfence between Ifs eyes. Thishorn develOpSSlowly and beComeS noticeablewhen the fishgrows to about 5 inCheS,This speCieS growS fo 2 feetor moreand displaysblue caudal spines on a body that ranges from o!ive to yellowishgray, Kata are popularas food. WRASSEIILabrldae hinalea Gaudycolors. thick lips, and protruding teeth,characterize wrasses, the largest familyof fishesIn Hawaii,These reef fishestend to be solitaryand hide in coraland sand. Many wrasses bury themSelvesln send at night.Speoles rangefrom 3 Inchesto severalteet ancl all arecarnivorous, Mollusks, crabs. sea urchins, and otherInvertebrates are cashedbetween strong tooth plates located deep In the throat, Ftamewrasse Cirrhiiabrus ~ordani Thissmall fish has fiery colors and swirns wi'lha flame-likeflicker, The flame wrasseis one of many reeffishes that undergosex reversal arel iscommon on deep Walkikl reel' patches, Rasorwrame tsavac~ulichth s its Thesharp-edgect, vertical forehead of therazor wrasse enables Itto dive head firstinto the sand to escapedanger. 16 Saddlewrasse Thalassoma du~arreg h,naieo Iou- wali A endemic fish.the saddle wrasseis our most common i~shore reef fish in Hawaii, Great numbers are found at Hanauma Bay where they are quite tame and can be fed by hand. Its blue , tan body, and bright orange saddle make it easily recognizable. Sex reversalresults in a terminal male with a white bar behind the orange saddle. Orttcrtewrasse Halichoeres ornatissimus Thegaudy markingsvary, but a small black dot behind the eye and another on the dorsal fin distinguish this fish, Like the saddle wrasse. the ornate wrasse is endemic and common in Hawaii. Gallery 4 SOIJTHpACIFIC MARINE LIFE The South Pacific's vast The format of this gallery geographical boundaries differs somewhat from the contain thousands of different other three. The aim here is to environments. Plants and give a sampling of the wide animals living there have spectrum that ls the South adapted to these many Pacific; the abundance and varied habltats. Great diversity of life forms. Hawaii's numbers of species and a waters, though very beautiful, greater diversity of life forms are only a taste of the South occur there compared to Pacific's feast of marine life. Hawaii. Hawaii's isolation in the sub- tropical central Pacific presents a limited environment for marine life and diversity ls less. For example, more than a dozen kinds of damseifish live In Hawaiian waters. You can find four times as many varieties in the Philippines. The South Pacific also has diverse animals not found here in Hawaii. This gallery features some of those unique creatures: the giant clam, chambered nautilus, and saltwater crocodile thrive in the multitude of environments the South Pacific provides but are absent from our islands, INTROOVCEOSNhPPERS The blue-lined snapperand blaCk- toiled snapper were introduced to Hawaii ln the late 1050's as food «d game fish.They adapted so well to Hawaii'swaters that theymay be displacing other populor and Cammeralaltyvaluable SpecieSgorger snapgee such as uku. opakapaka, ancl anaga!. HAVTILVS In 1976,the yyatklkl Aquarium displayed the tlrst living chambered nautilus ln the United States.Three species. Nautilus ~~trite N. m~aaram lusand a new species sam tsatau. N. helauensls have lived here stnne then. Their natural life span Is not known, but nautilus ln captivity can survive over two years, Nautilus occur only ln the western Pacific, most of ours are collected ln Palau. They are caught ln traps baited with fish and set at 500-f000 feet, The nautilusshell ls internallydivided into about 30 chambers which contain gas to keep the animal neutrally bouyant: lt neither sinks nor floats. Nautilusswim by Shaatlhgwater thrOugh a funnel under their tentacles and not by pumping or removing gas from the chambers These specimens are kept ln dark and refrigerated 5 F! seawaterto simulate the deep reef waterswhere they live and are fed whole shrimp, crab, ond fish.Nautilus are relativesof octopus. Ktuld and cuff fetish but they lack sucker disks on theIr tentacle», have no Ink sacs.and possessvery simple eyes. CUTTI.EFISH Thecuttiefish is a moNuskand is related tO snails, Sauid, OctopuS, and nautiluS. The nervous system is very highly developed and exceptionally vivid changesln color patternare displayed. especlaNyduring feecling. Two of the ten armsare highly speciaNzedand retractinto "pits ' The Internal "cutttebone" controls buoyancy and givesthe cuttlefishIts dlstilnctlve ~~ CRINOIOS Oldest of the Echinoderms crtnoids date back about 350,0OQ,OOOy~ They are related to sea urchlns. sea stars, and sea cucumbers anct are caNed feather-stars because of the wispy, feather-like ciualtty of their numerous arms. These arms trap and collect food particles. Crlnoids move by crawling on their "feet" or cirri, or they swim by moving their arms. They are not found in Hawaii. CARNIVOROUS REEF FISHES Many fishes fed on other animal species on the reef, Some, like groupers. ambush their prey. The blue spot grouper and hexagon grouper, both Introduced to Hawaii in 1056, wait ln holes and crevices. Others. like the undulatetriggerfish. actively and aggressively pursue their prey of Invertebrates. such as sea urchins ond shellfish,Carnivorous reef fishesusually feect on smaller fishes or crustaoea» COUTHPACIFIC FISHES @ver 2,000 species of shallow coral reef fIshes inhabit the Pacific, The "South pacific Reef Fishes" exhibit tanks 35-36] showcases many exotic. colorful species not found ln Hawaii, Some of these are rarely seen ln public ociuarlurns. The Griffis angelfish is a recently discovered species from Canton Island. and the gold-flecked angelfish Is from Fanning Island, Brilliant blue and orange damselfish ore rarely collected and can only be found in the reefs of Palau. The brilliant red hawkflsh from Fiji lives deep inside caral heads and is difficult to collect. SAlTWATER CROCODILE The saffwater crocodile. Grec«xgilus porosus. Is found in Inckneia, New Guinea, Australia, ond the southwestern Pacific. Young ones usually live in brackish water areas ond mangrove swamps. Adults may venture into waters af the coral reef where encounters with human beings have been recorcled. At lengths over 15 feet, these crocodiles can be formidable hunters. An endangered species protected by internationat convention. they are now reared on special farms in New Guinea. Federal law also prohibits Importation ond sale of the crocodile or its products. Saltwater crocodiles do not occur in Hawallan waters. F I NQERFISH Flngerflsh can be found in waters off east Africa and throughout the lndo- Pocific. They inhabit boys and brackish- water areas but can also be found in fresh water. Flngerfish can grow to 9 inches, and are popular in aquariums. ARCHERIFISH Archerfish inhabit inshore salt and brackish waters throughout the Indo- Pacific. They can spit at insects ten feet away and knock them into the water by compressing the gill covers, and forcing water through a groove in the roof of the mouth, This stream of water can be directed with great accuracy, Archerfish can grow as targe as 0 inches. I IANT CLAMS Giant clams rage from 6 inches IrrIdacha c~rccea ra T. art which grows to over 4.5 feet and 500 pounds. Despite Its Immense size and a reputation as "killer clam," it's not likely a giant clam could trap and drown a diver, Large specimens usually cannot close completely. Afl six specimens of Tridacna grow algae zooxantheltae] in their mantle tissue.This algae requires intense sunlight for growth and can provide the giant clam with all the food it needs to survive, Giant clams can also feed on phytopiankton: during winter months or cloudy periods. the clams here are fed cultured algae. Giant clams grow most abundantly in the tropical western Pacific; they are not native to Hawaii, The Waikiki Aquarium's giant clam is the first to be kept in captivity, It was collected at Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. Its age is not known, but such clams may live to be 50 or more years old, CLOWHRSH AHD AHEIAOHES MICRONESIAN CORAlS Clownflshesestablish homes among Ihe Many carols in the "Micronesian Reef poisonousstinging cells of carpet Builders" tank 38! may be mistaken anerncees.Nests of attached eggs are for sea anemones. Their gkmt polyps found on rocks beneath the anemone's look Eke anemones, but contain dense f teshyf6ds. skeletons, Soft corals look similar: bul their skeletons are flexible. and are not Unlike other fishes, clownflshes can as compact as in stony ccrals. develop I~IN to the stinging cells, Scientistshave found that clownfishes Corals utilize stinging cells to capture lase their Immunilty if separated from an small animals for food. Like giant clams. crernone for about two weeks. They they feed off an aigae zooxanthellae! can graduallyregain its protection in a that lives within the onlmal tissue and few days with a iong seriesof quick, which manufactures food using sunlight, tight brushes against the anemone's One coral species must not come In tentacles. contact with another; otherwise. one invorlobly kills the other. None of these Clownflshesbelong to the famlty of corals occurs In Hawaii. damselflshesand make popular aquarium pets, AlthOughthe one+lone may appear to be a plant, lt ls actually an animal closely related tO Carals and ieliyflsh. It lacks a skeleton ond contracts or e~ by regulatingfluid within its body. Anemonespossess stinging cells for protection and for capturingfood and aiso feed off plant cells livingwithin body tissue,Bright amlight is essential for the survivalof these plant cells. and consequently for the anemone. Large "carpet" anemones like these live In most tropical-Pacific reefs but are not fOund In Hawaii, The largeSt anemone ih this display was collected at Canton Island near the equotor in f975. Scientific Nomenclature The system for naming plants and unfortunate, because there Is another animals developed out of a need lo species. Chaetodon citrinellus. literally. make very exact identifications "lemon peel butterfiyfish"! wffh which It Common names are useful but can can be confused. This violates the rute often be confusing, The technical that no two fish can share the same naming system of genus and species began In the mid-1700's, Caroius Linnaeus. a Swedish zoologist, set forth Desptle ail the rules, the naming of some guidelines for naming organisms, organisms is a very active process. More the spirit of which ls still followed. than thirty new species of fish have been discovered in Hawoil ln the last One of Llnnaeus' rules was that the fifteen years. names appear in some Latinized or Greek form. This makes the scientific names seem foreign and forbidding, but the Latin names can be very helpful if you knowtheir roots.F~orc >~ir ftavlsslmus,the long nose butterflyfish ond trademark Of thiS Aquarium. simply means "very yellow fish with a nose like forceps." One of the biggest tongue twlsteis. Labroides ~thlrr~ha~us. refers to the cleaner wrasse'shabit of picking parasites from other fishes,l.abroldes La-bray-dees! means "shaped iike a wrasse." and phthirrhagus fa-thigh- ro-fay-gus! means "louse eater." Other species may be named in honor of people: Tinker's butterflyfish, Chaetodon tinkerl, and Potter's angelfish. Cen~troage ~tteri. honor two former directors of this Aquarium, Scientists may so honor friends but it's considered very bad form in scientific circles to name anything after yourself, There is actually a thick set of rules which biologists throughout the world follow in awarding names. Two slrnple principles summarize those rules: "No single animal can have more than one scientific name; and, no two kinds of animals can have the same scientific name." One fina! example will illustrate the confusion which common names can create, The but terflyfish, Chaetocion miiiaris, literally, "fish with comb-like teeth and milletseed-shaped spots" ! can best be called the rnilletseed butterflyflsh. However, many people also call it the lemon peel butlerflyfish. Thisis 2,' The Aquarium's Water Supply The oCeon al Our doarStep indlreCriy supplies all the salt water for our exhibits, Seawater enters a well drilled 80 feet beneath the Aquarium: water slowly filters through consolidated coral and reef rock and enters the well. an eighteen-Inch diameter pipe sunk into the seawater-soaked subsoil. From there It Ispumped to an oxygenatingtower and then distributed to exhibit tanks and the seal pool, Electric pumps supply about 600 gallons a minute to the Aquarium. Finally, the water is reckculated back to the reef Water that filters into the well lacks oxygen and has a low pH: these qualities are not very good for fishes, The oxygen tower remedies both conditions.As water splashesthrough the tower, both oxygen and pH levels increase; at thils paint, the water is CherniCallyVery Close tO Open-ocean water. MOStof oix exhibit fanks are kept' at about 75 F.. but we do have a refrigerated system for deepwater species such as the chambered nautilus which is kept at 63'F, The giant clams and some coral need water heatecl to 80'F, The Aquarium also provides free fllterecl seawater to hobbylsts and pet shops. Mare than 750 gallons a week are provided to the public, Our freshwateraquariums are supplied directly from the Honolulu water system a tribute to the purity of our city's drinking water. Unlike most major cities Honolulu has a water supply containing no chlorine: so the water is very soft and safe for our freshwater animals. reefffs DEgf~N. WaikikiAguarlvm EDITrN&.Le5ne Lyurn. Lergnton Taylar rrHOTCOG,RAPffyCover Phofoqraph by EdRobin~ DRAW&VS.Pcrges 8 and e, RebeccaBrow>. PaPes f0-28, Mary Morrofra. Drawn from Randall PRfNTING,.Edward EnferPrfres CONBULTANTS.Linda Dfron. Bruce Carl@on. LeS Mdtsuura. Le~hfan Taylar 28 ifi~lklki Aquarium 2777 KalokauaAvenue l Haute ~I iy 9 am 5 pm ~ation ~ltr $1,50 children underf6: free