Commerson's Frogfish.
A lumpy, bulbous fish that walks on modified fins and lures prey with a built-in fishing rod tipped with a wriggling bait.
Commerson's frogfish is one of the most bizarre and endearing creatures on the Hawaiian reef. Rather than swimming, it walks along the bottom on leg-like pectoral and pelvic fins, jet-propelling itself with bursts of water from gill openings behind each 'arm.'
The frogfish's signature feature is the illicium — a modified dorsal spine that acts as a fishing rod, complete with a lure (esca) at its tip. The fish waves this lure in front of its enormous mouth, mimicking a worm or shrimp. When a curious fish approaches to investigate, the frogfish strikes, engulfing its prey in as little as 6 milliseconds — the fastest known strike of any vertebrate.
Frogfish are masters of camouflage, capable of changing color over days to weeks to match sponges, coral, and algae. They come in almost every color: bright orange, yellow, pink, red, brown, black, and white. Their lumpy, textured skin helps them blend into the reef so completely that even experienced divers can look directly at one and not see it.
During mating, the female's body swells dramatically with eggs, sometimes doubling her size. The pair then rises to the surface in a synchronized spawning ascent, releasing a buoyant raft of eggs encased in a gelatinous ribbon that floats away on the current.
More species in this group.
Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa
The reef triggerfish — Hawaiʻi's official state fish, with a name that means "fish that sews with a needle and grunts like a pig."
Yellow Tang
The vivid lemon-yellow surgeonfish that flashes through every Hawaiian reef — and one of the most recognizable fish in the world.
Moorish Idol
Iconic black, white and yellow reef fish with a long sweeping dorsal filament — solitary, mysterious, famously hard to keep in captivity.
Raccoon Butterflyfish
Golden butterflyfish with a black bandit's mask. Often paired for life and one of the most common nighttime feeders on the reef.