Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 20 feet

Fertilizing eggs, Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 35 feet

Nests, Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 35 feet

Juvenile, Firehouse, Oahu, 25 feet

Juvenile, Firehouse, Oahu, 25 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Attains 9 inches.  Found in aggregations above rocky reefs feeding upon zooplankton.  Nests contain purple eggs.  Juveniles are greenish-gray with a yellow center and broad black bars.  Related species in tropical seas worldwide.

Portlock, Oahu, 25 feet

Tonggs Wreck, Oahu, 15 feet

Tonggs Wreck, Oahu, 15 feet

Tonggs Wreck, Oahu, 15 feet

Possibly a hybrid photographed at Portlock Point on Oahu.  One also seen at Midway Atoll in 2000.  Bold bars and yellow dorsally similar to A. vaigiensis.

Manana Island, Oahu, 20 feet

Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii, 15 feet

Breeding population stablished in Hawaii in the late 1990's.  Possibly reached Hawaii as juveniles hiding among drifting nets or debris.  Dark blue bars on body and caudal fin, bright yellow below dorsal fin.  Common throughout the Indo-Pacific.

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet

Nuptial colors, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 5 feet

Juvenile, Mokuleia tidepool, Oahu

Juvenile, Kaupo tidepool, Oahu

Juvenile, Kaupo tidepool, Oahu

Juvenile, Kaupo tidepool, Oahu

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet

Common on reef flats and tidepools.  A solitary, pugnacious omnivore.  Attains 9 inches.  Nuptial males are nearly black & white.  Juveniles are gray and cream with black saddles.  Indo-Pacific including Hawaii.

Sharkfin, Lana'i, 50 feet

Okoe Bay, Hawaii, 40 feet

100ft Hole, Oahu, 85 feet

100ft Hole, Oahu, 85 feet

Sea Tiger Wreck, Oahu, 85 feet

Juvenile, Sea Tiger, Oahu, 90 feet

Juvenile, Sea Tiger, Oahu, 90 feet

Common in small aggregations at scuba depths.  Feeds upon zooplankton and attains 4 inches.  Golden brown with pink or blue cast and black spot at pectoral base.  Indo-Pacific including Hawaii.

Mahukona, Hawaii, 40 feet

Nuptial colors, Airplane, Wai'anae, Oahu, 100 feet

Sea Tiger Wreck, Oahu, 85 feet

Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 45 feet

Sea Cave, Oahu, 65 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Common on reefs at scuba depths.  Feeds upon zooplankton.  Attains 3 inches.  Several related species throughout the Indo-Pacific.

Kaumalapau Harbor, Lanai, 120 feet

Found in groups among rubble and ledges deeper than 80 feet.  Body is blue-black with a black and yellow spot at base of pectoral fin, pelvic fins yellow.  Attains 2.5 inches.  Spotty distribution includes Hawaii, Marquesas, New Caledonia, Okinawa, Sumatra, Mauritius, and Reunion.

Peek-a-boo, Midway, 40 feet

Turtle Craters, Oahu, 25 feet

Juvenile, Firehouse, Oahu, 25 feet

Juvenile, Makaha, Oahu, 35 feet

Nuptial colors, Macaw Wreck, Midway, 20 feet

Subadult, Waimea Bay, Oahu, 30 feet

Subadult, Firehouse, Oahu, 25 feet

Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet

Nuptial, Baby Barge, Oahu, 75 feet

Nuptial, Baby Barge, Oahu, 75 feet

Nuptial, Baby Barge, Oahu, 75 feet

Nuptial, Baby Barge, Oahu, 75 feet

Juvenile, Makua, Oahu, 10 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Attains 9 inches.  Found in aggregations at scuba depths feeding upon zooplankton.  Gray with brassy or bluish cast.  Juveniles are neon blue with yellow dorsally and common during summer months.

Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 40 feet

Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii, 35 feet

Sharkfin, Lana'i, 60 feet

Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 45 feet

Common in aggregations feeding upon zooplankton just above the reef at scuba depths.  Attains 2.5 inches.  Lower lobe of caudal fin is always black.  Japan through Oceania and Hawaii.

Poloa, Tutuila, American Samoa, 30 feet

Uncommon on coral reefs at scuba depths, very rare in Hawaii.  Caudal fin is yellow; lower lobe of caudal fin black in C. vanderbilti.  Attains 2 inches.  Tropical Pacific.

Chromis, Midway Atoll, 40 feet

Angel Ledge, Midway Atoll, 80 feet

YO-257 Wreck, Waikiki, Oahu, 60 feet

YO-257 Wreck, Waikiki, Oahu, 60 feet

Juvenile, Keauhou, Hawaii, 80 feet

Juvenile, YO-257 Wreck, Waikiki, Oahu, 100 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Locally common in deeper water feeding upon zooplankton.  Black to gray; 3 white spots usually present before caudal fin.  Attains 9 inches.

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 30 feet

Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 30 feet

Juvenile, Pupukea, Oahu, 30 feet

Juvenile, Haleiwa, Oahu, 30 feet

Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii, 35 feet

Main Channel, Midway Atoll, 30 feet

Night coloration, Puako, Hawaii, 40 feet

Koko Craters, Oahu, 25 feet

Kewalo, Oahu, 15 feet

Kewalo, Oahu, 50 feet

Kewalo, Oahu, 50 feet

Kewalo, Oahu, 50 feet

Sea Tiger Wreck, Oahu, 85 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Attains 5 inches.  Common among Antler and large Cauliflower corals where they take refuge.  Feeds upon zooplankton.  Juveniles have tall fins and one or two bluish white marks dorsally.  May appear black with round white spot at mid-dorsal region.  Related to Dascyllus trimaculatus of the Indo-Pacific.

Koloa Landing, Kaua`i, 12 feet

Eggs, Sharks Cove tidepool, Oahu, Hawaii

Juvenile, Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Juvenile, Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Night, Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Common on shallow reefs and tidepools.  A solitary and pugnacious fish that darts rapidly between holes in the reef.  Feeds upon small invertebrates and attains 2.5 inches.  Greenish gray with yellow at rear; bright silver eye with black bar through it.  Indo-Pacific including Hawaii.

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Juvenile, Waimea Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Juvenile, Waimea Bay, Oahu, 25 feet

Juvenile, Sharks Cove, Oahu, 20 feet

A solitary inhabitant of large Pocillopora corals.  Olive green, darker at rear, with neon blue fin edges and eyes.  Feeds upon coral polyps and attains 4 inches.  Indo-Pacific coloration is yellow with diffuse black bar at rear.  Indo-Pacific including Hawaii.

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, 6 feet

Extremely rare as a waif in Hawaii.  Inhabits the surge zone.  Occurs at scattered localities in the Indo-Pacific.  Attains 3 inches.  For more info see John Hoover's page.

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 10 feet

Makapu'u, Oahu, 6 feet

Makapu'u, Oahu, 6 feet

Makapu'u, Oahu, 6 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Uncommon in surge zone of rocky shores and young in tidepools.  Solitary and feeds primarily upon algae.  Attains 5 inches.  Brown with black-edged scales and two light bars.  Juveniles are brown with white bars and large black spot at base of soft dorsal fin.

Palea Point, Oahu, 25 feet

Juvenile, Pupukea, Oahu, 30 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  A very common solitary inhabitant of shallow reefs.  Yellow eyes.  Attains 5 inches.  Maintains crop of algae as food.  Vigorously defends it home 'turf' from surgeonfishes and other damselfishes.  Juveniles have neon blue fin margins and yellow peduncle.  Formerly known as Stegastes fasciolatus from the Tropical Pacific.

Maeda Point, Okinawa, Japan, 5 feet

Nuptial colors, Wakatobi, Indonesia, 5 feet

Moon Beach, Okinawa, Japan, 15 feet

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 80 feet

Uncommon along dropoffs in deeper water.  Attains 8 inches.  Western Pacific to Japan & Fiji.

Poloa, American Samoa, 40 feet

Fairly common among branching coral in shallow water.  Dark spot at base of pectoral fin.  About 4.5 inches.  Seychelles to Okinawa and Tahiti, except Hawaii.

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 50 feet

Found along dropoffs at scuba depths.  Attains 3 inches.  Indonesia to the Solomons & Pohnpei.

Juvenile, Poloa, Tutuila, American Samoa, 30 feet

Poloa, Tutuila, American Samoa, 30 feet

Found along dropoffs at scuba depths.  Tail may be dark or light.  Attains 7 inches.  Indonesia & the Tropical Pacific.

Sliding Rock tidepool, Tutuila, American Samoa

Found in shallow water among rubble.  Attains 4.5 inches.  Indo-Pacific. 

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 10 feet

Locally common in shallow water with branching corals.  Attains 2.5 inches.  Okinawa to Sulawesi, New Guinea, and the Solomons.

Breakers Point, American Samoa, 20 feet

Common on shallow reefs.  Attains 2.5 inches.  Coral Sea to Samoa.  Related to Chrysiptera cyanea.

Waikiki Aquarium

Inhabits coral reefs to 100 feet.  Attains 3 inches.  Andaman Sea to Tonga.

Moon Beach, Okinawa, 10 feet

Inhabits coral reefs in shallow water.  Attains 3 inches.  Okinawa to Palau, GBR, and New Caledonia.

Faga'alu, American Samoa, 10 feet

Common among branching corals in shallow lagoons and bays.  Caudal fin is white, D melanurus has black tail.  Attains 3 inches.  Indo-Pacific and Red Sea except Hawaii.

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 4 feet

Inhabits shallow lagoons and seagrasses.  Attains 8 inches.  Eastern Indian Ocean through the Western Pacific.

Wakatobi, Indonesia

Common on reefs in clear water to 120 feet.  Attains 4.5 inches.  Indo-Pacific and Red Sea except Hawaii.

Sliding Rock tidepool, Tutuila, American Samoa

Inhabits surge zone.  Attains 4.5 inches.  Indo-Pacific except Hawaii.

Juvenile, Moon Beach, Okinawa, Japan

Maeda Point, Okinawa, Japan

Inhabits coral reefs among soft corals & Tridacna clams.  Attains 4.5 inches.  Red Sea & East Africa to Okinawa & Vanuatu.

Waikiki Aquarium

Juvenile, Rock Quarry, Catalina Island, 5 feet

Juvenile, Rock Quarry, Catalina Island, 5 feet

Long Point, Catalina Island, 30 feet

Long Point, Catalina Island, 30 feet

Rock Quarry, Catalina Island, 20 feet

Long Point, Catalina Island, 30 feet

Rock Quarry, Catalina Is. California, 20 feet

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 30 feet

Common along reefs feeding upon zooplankton.  Attains 5 inches.  Gulf of California to Peru.

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 100 feet

Juvenile, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, 60 feet

Uncommon on rocky reefs at scuba depths.  Attains 5 inches.  Endemic to the Gulf of California.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, 20 feet

Inhabits rocky reefs from the Gulf of California to Ecuador.  Attains 12 inches.

Juvenile, Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 40 feet

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 40 feet

Inhabits rocky reefs from Mexico to Peru.  Attains 7 inches.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, 20 feet

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, 20 feet

Inhabits rocky reefs at scuba depths from the lower Gulf of California to Ecuador.  Attains 6 inches.

Paradise Cove, Grand Bahama, 6 feet

Grand Bahama, 50 feet

Text and photographs are copyrighted property of Keoki and Yuko Stender unless otherwise indicated.  No part of this website may be used without permission of the authors.  Images may not be used for any purpose without express permission of the photographers.