Beautiful
Hawaiian
Marine life
brought to you by
LET'S GO
SHORE DIVE'N'
on the
Kona Coast

Thanks to the photo skills of Robin D. Simon we can see just what we have beneath the sea off the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

MENPACHI or SQUIRREL FISH (Family Holocentridae) This family is large in size and covers many small red to white fishes found in dark places during the day and out scavenging at night. They school and sleep during the daylight hours and wander around during the darkest hours looking for unsupecting prey. Their large eyes are suited for night vision (one of the family is referred to as 'Big Eye' here in Hawaii). When you look in crevaces and holes or under lava cliff-hangings you are likely to see these beautiful little fish. The pure red ones are called u'u by Hawaiians, while the striped species are called 'A-la-'i-hi. There are about 70 species known in this family and 20 of those are found off Hawaii's shores.