Hawaii’s State Fish

While Hawaii is known for the beautiful beaches, lovely weather, and friendly people, many people also come here to learn about the history of the state. The island chain formation of Hawaii means that it’s people have a long relationship with the ocean and the various species that live here. 

At 21 letters long, humuhumunukunukuapua’a, is the state’s official fish. Also known as the reef triggerfish, giving it’s Hawaiian name a try only gets easier with practice, give it a try here: “Who-moo-who-moo-noo-koo-noo-koo-ah-pooah-ah”  Roughly translated, the name means “fish with a pig like snout.”Of course, you can also refer to this beloved fish as “humuhumu” as the locals do.

Humuhumu grow to be about 10 inches long and common colorings include white, bright yellow, black and orange. They have sharp blue teeth and another distinct feature; two spines. One helps it swim and the other located at the top of its head, allows the fish to lock onto the jagged edges of reefs when it rests or hides from predators. Their two spines allow them to quickly get away if they sense any predators nearby. The scales of the humuhumu also provide a level of camouflage as they can change pigmentation to best reflect what is nearby. 

You might be wondering where the “pig like snout” stems from and the answer is exactly what it sounds like. Despite being underwater, these fish make grunting noises when they are under stress and their feeding habits are closely related to that of a pig. They scoop up the sand off the ocean floor and sift through it to find their next meal, usually algae or a type of invertebrate such as brittlestars or snails. 
Although this fish is on the smaller side, they are still very territorial so they are best to be admired from afar when you join us on one of our Maui scuba tours. Of course, your certified PADI instructor knows all about the native wildlife in Maui and can answer the questions you have as you observe the variety of marine life on one of our tours.