Home > Fishes > Chubs & Nibblers

Updated 8/22/2020

Family Kyphosidae

Chubs

Chubs are football-shaped herbivores that may form aggregations in shallow rocky areas.  Most are rather drab but two-toned, spotted, or yellow forms may be encountered.  Considerable experience is required to properly identify some species.  Since chubs are herbivorous they have soft, seaweed-flavored flesh of limited value.  Known in Hawai'i as nenue or enenue.

 

CIRCUMTROPICAL

Kyphosus cinerascens

HIGHFIN CHUB

 
Kyphosus vaigiensis

LOWFIN CHUB

 

Kyphosus ocyurus

BLUESTRIPED CHUB

 

  

 

HAWAII - ENDEMIC

Kyphosus hawaiiensis   

HAWAIIAN CHUB

 

Kyphosus hawaiiensis   

HAWAIIAN CHUB, Yellow morph

 

  

 

EASTERN PACIFIC / HAWAII

Kyphosus elegans

PACIFIC CHUB

 

EASTERN PACIFIC

Kyphosus azureus

ZEBRAPERCH

 

 Medialuna californiensis

HALFMOON

ATLANTIC

Kyphosus sectatrix

BERMUDA CHUB

 

  

 Family Girellidae

Nibblers

Temperate relatives of chubs.  Common where they occur.  Only one species recorded from the Hawaiian Islands.

EAST ASIA / NWHI

Girella leonina

BLACKEDGE NIBBLER    Kuro-mejina

 

EASTERN PACIFIC

Girella nigricans

OPALEYE