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Related FAQs: Fishes of Hawai'i, Articles
on: The Best Butterflyfishes of Hawai'i, Triggerfishes
of Hawai'i,
Related Articles: A Fishwatcher's Guide to
the Marine Aquarium Fishes of Hawai'i,
Introduction to Fishwatcher's Guide
Series Pieces/Sections, Scott's Trip to
Maui/Hawai'i, Holualoa property,
A Fishwatcher's Guide to the Marine
Invertebrates of Hawai'i
Part 2 of 4, To: Part 1,
Part 3, Part
4,
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by Bob Fenner
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Porites compressa
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Stinging Celled Animals, Phylum Cnidaria
Hydroids and Siphonophores:
| Gymnangium hians (Busk 1852), Feather Hydroid. Found
in areas of good current on underhangs, in caves (pukas). Gray to light
brown in color. 2-3 inches in length. Indo-Pacific. Hawaii pix. |
 |
| Pennaria disticha Goldfuss 1820. Cosmopolitan in
tropical, temperate seas. To 12 cm. in height. Urn-shaped polyps are born
on upper sides of immediately alternating branches. N. Sulawesi and Nuka
Hiva, Marquesas images. |
 
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Zoanthids: Colonial Anemones
| Palythoa caesia Dana 1848. Rubbery appearing common
mat, flattened polyps exposed to varying degrees to 3 cm. diameters.
Tentacle ends look like knobs. Dark brown to tan in color. Western
Pacific. Hawai'i pix. |
 
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Soft Corals:
| Anthelia edmondsonii (Verrill 1928). Light blue in
color this is one of the few soft corals found in Hawai'i (and only
there). Predated nightly by the nudibranch Tritonia hawaiiensis. 1/4"
inch across polyps in colonies 3-12" across. Big Island photos. |
 
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| Sinularia abrupta Tixier-Durivault 1970, Leather
Coral. Western and Central Pacific. Easy to miss in the wild. Short (two
inch maximum height), flexible lobes on a flat base. Image shot at Shark
Point, O'ahu, Hawai'i. |
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Stony Corals:
Where's the group spiel Bob? Oh, saving it for the tome
"Hawai'i Underwater" guide I see...
Family Acroporidae:
| Montipora capitata (Dana 1846), Rice Coral.
Encrusting to massive colonies to thin plates in calm water. Dark to light
brown in color. Hawaiian endemic. Structural elements of polyps
appear like grains of rice. |
 
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| Montipora flabellata Studer 1901, Most colonies are
fluorescent blue to purplish in color, though they can be brown. Shallow
water (to 20 feet). Hawaiian endemic. |
 
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Family Agariciidae: Elephant Skin Corals. Ridges of corallites (the
septo-costae) interconnect adjacent calyces. Have very short tentacles and
therefore are thought to feed more by mucus entrapment of suspended material
than by stinging collection. Genus Leptoseris: Six Hawaiian species
(three deepwater). Septa are long, fine and generally curved. Genus Pavona
(three local species), septa are shorter and straight.
| Leptoseris incrustans (Quelch 1886), Swelling Coral.
Most common member of the genus in Hawai'i. Identified by swellings of
septo-costae between the calyces. Colonies of only a few inches across
occur under ledges, generally in deeper water. Tan to reddish-brown to
greenish in color. Indo-Pacific. Kona, HI pic. |
 
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| Leptoseris hawaiiensis Vaughan 1907. Colonies as
encrusting laminae. Corallites raised irregularly, rounded. Septae costae
even. Green or brown in color. East Africa, Red Sea to Hawai'i, Tuamotus
and tropical East Pacific. Nuka Hiva, Marquesas, Polynesia pic. |
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| Pavona duerdeni Vaughan 1907. Massive colonies (up to
10 feet tall) of
irregular appearance (sometimes huge). Red Sea and Hawai'i images.
Found in areas of moderate current, wave movement Named in honor of
cnidarian scientist J. E. Duerden (1865-1937). |
 
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| Pavona varians Verrill 1864. Colonies encrusting to
laminar, showing short, irregular valleys. Hawai'i images. |
 
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Family Pocilloporidae: Cat's Paw Corals. Have bumpy appearance due to
raised verrucae.
| Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus 1758), Cauliflower
Coral. The most common member of the family offered to the aquarium trade.
Compact clumps of up to a few meters height. Verrucae and branches blend
together. Of varying branch thickness (thinner in greater depths, less
water motion areas). Several colors: overall brown, pink cream, greenish.
Colony and close-up of Pulau Redang specimens and close-up of the species
off Cabo Pulmo, Mexico's Sea of Cortez in the tropical eastern Pacific
below. |
| Pocillopora eydouxi Milne Edwards & Haime
1860, Brush Coral. Distinctive large, upright branches with light-colored
ends. A common species over its wide range. Shown in
Hawai'i. |
 
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| Pocillopora meandrina Dana 1846. Flat, short, curved
branches, small verrucae. Regular arrangement of branch growth, verrucae
placement. At right: Bunaken/Sulawesi/Indo. and Hawai'i close-ups, and
two images of this common species in Hawai'i below. |
 
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Family Poritidae:
| Porites compressa Dana 1846, Finger Coral. Another
common (endemic) species in Hawai'i (85% or so of Kaneohe Bay, O'ahu).
Generally light brown in color. Finger like deeper, to knobby
boulders in shallow. Below, shallow to deeper pics. |
| Porites evermanni Vaughan 1907, Evermann's Coral. A
massive form that is sometimes similar to P. lobata (below), but never
yellow in color (brown to gray to purple). Commonly knobby and fuzzy at
close inspection (the latter due to partly retracted polyps). Likely
endemic to Hawai'i. Image with P. lobata in background. |
 
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| Porites lobata Dana 1846, Lobe Coral. The most common
coral species in Hawai'i. Found as encrusting colonies in high wave action
areas to fifteen foot high mounds in protected areas. Yellow to greenish
in color. Often with grooves caused by the Snapping Shrimp Alpheus
deuteropus. Below: close up of an encrusting colony, one showing
shrimp space parasite marking (both Hawai'i) and a huge colony (grow about
an inch tall per year) in the Maldives. At right, Hawaiian specimen with
pink worm parasites (Trematode, flatworm) that Butterflyfishes pick at,
consume, continuing the life cycle. |
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| Porites rus Forsskal 1775, Plate and Pillar Coral.
Variable in shape as its common name points to. Upright columns more
shallow to gorgeous plates deeper, more calm waters. Gray to brown in
color, often with yellow polyps that have wider spaced calyces, raised
areas between polyps. Both morphs visible here at Honaunau, City of
refuge, Kailua, Kona, Hawai'i. |
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Family Fungiidae: Plate Corals: Seven species, three genera
recorded from Hawai'i
| Cycloseris vaughani Boschma 1923, Vaughan's
Razor Coral. Circular in shape, flat on the bottom. Found on hard surfaces
in shallow depths (to forty feet or so). Six prominent septal ribs. Big
Island pic. |
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| Fungia concinna Verrill 1864, Disk Coral. Flat,
circular skeletons to six inches in diameter. Septal teeth small. Very
small tentacular lobes or none. Underside lacks pits. Here
off Hawai'i's Big Island at night. |
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| Fungia scutaria Lamarck 1801. Oval, heavy polyps
with high, regularly placed tentacular lobes. To seven inches.
Indo-Pacific. Occur in
many colors. Largest, most common fungiid in Hawai'i. |
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Family Agariciidae:
| Leptoseris hawaiiensis Vaughan 1907. Colonies as
encrusting laminae. Corallites raised irregularly, rounded. Septae costae
even. Green or brown in color. East Africa, Red Sea to Hawai'i, Tuamotus
and tropical East Pacific. Nuka Hiva, Marquesas, Polynesia pic. |
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| Pavona duerdeni Vaughan 1907. Massive colonies of
irregular appearance (sometimes huge). Red Sea image. |
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| Pavona varians Verrill 1864. Colonies encrusting to
laminar, showing short, irregular valleys. Hawai'i images. |
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Family Faviidae: Honeycomb Corals
| Leptastrea purpurea (Dana 1846). Crust Coral. Encrusting
to lobe-like. Large (1/8") calyces with walls touching. Indo-Pacific.
Here in Hawai'i. |
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Family Dendrophylliidae:
| Balanophyllia sp.
Either B. hawaiiensis or B. cf. affinis. Here off
Hawai'i's Big Island at night, though can be found in caves and crevices
open during daylight hours. About one inch in all dimensions. |
 |
| Tubastrea coccinea Lesson 1831, Orange Cup
Coral. Caribbean and Indo-Pacific. Right: Closed, open colony pix in the
Bahamas. Below, close up of a colony under an
arch off of Kailua Kona and exhibit images shot at the
Waikiki Aquarium. |
 
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Order Antipatharia: Black Corals, Whip Corals
| Cirripathes anguina Dana 1846, Common Whip Coral. Often
twisted on its singular axis. Polyps arrayed on two opposing sides of
skeleton. Hawaiian Whip Corals are commensal hosts to two species of
gobies (which often denude the anterior tip to lay their eggs) and two
species of pontonid shrimp. Found in forty plus foot depths, sticking out
into currents. Up to three feet in length. Kona pix. |
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Worms:
Flatworms:
| Pseudoceros dimidiatus von Graff 1893. Look for the
double yellow "racing stripe" down the middle for this species.
Other markings are variable to missing. Central to western Pacific.
This one off of Kailua Kona, Hawai'i. |
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| Pseudoceros ferrugineus Hyman 1959. The Fuchsia
Flatworm Central and Western Pacific at moderate depths. Out during both
day and night, often appearing bluish until artificial light is applied,
and more round when fully opened. Hawaii pix. |
 
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Polychaete Worms:
| Sabellastarte sanctijosephi (Gravier 1908).
Indo-Pacific; Eastern Africa to the Cook Islands. Image shot off of
Hawai'i, Malaysia. Characterized by their two tentacular crown head. |
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| Spirobranchus giganteus Pallas 1766, Horned Christmas
Tree, aka Bisma Rock Worms. Cosmopolitan; all tropical seas. Most often
found in association (burrowed in) Porites and Millepora. To an inch in
diameter. Hard to maintain in captivity over any period of time. Need
frequent particulate feedings, low light. Pulau Redang, Malaysia photo. |
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| Loimia medusa (Savigny 1820), the Medusa or Spaghetti
Worm. Cosmopolitan; all tropical seas. Found between rocks in silt to
sandy substrates. Tube-dwelling (family Terebellidae) worm that is most
often recognized by its extended feeding tentacles. Hawai'i image. |
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Bryozoans:
| Crisina radians (Lamarck 1816), the Tuning Fork
Bryozoan. A calcareous species found on hard surfaces and seaweed blades.
Ends of colonies look like tuning forks. To about a half inch across. Kona,
Hawai'i. images. |
 
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| Triphyllozoon sp. perhaps T. inornatum Harmer
1934. Found on walls in areas of high current. Hydroid polyps with
capitate tentacles. Western Pacific; New Guinea, Indonesia, Philippines.
N. Sulawesi and Hawai'i images. |
 
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Mollusks:
Gastropods:
Nerites & Periwinkles: Families Neritidae and Littorinidae
| Nerita picea (Recluz 1841), the Black Nerite (Pipipi
in Hawaiian). A Hawaiian endemic. To about a half inch in length. Found in
the splash zone to high and dry above there (but below Periwinkles), more
actively grazing at night. Shiny black globose shells with fine gray
spiral lines. |
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Family Hipponicidae: Hoof Shells. Attach limpet-like to the substrate
and don't move. Unlike true limpets (family Patellidae) these snails show spiral
growth in their shells. Four Hawaiian species.
| Hipponix imbricatus Gould 1846. Shingly Hoof Shell.
At times very abundant on the outsides of smooth boulders. Shallows to
about fifty feet of depth. May be endemic to Hawai'i. To about half an
inch in diameter. |
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Families Ranellidae and Personidae (often in Cymatidae in older
literature): Tritons. Usually have thick, heavy, sculptured shells, though
their beauty is often hidden by growth of their periostracum. Feed on
echinoderms and molluscs. Fourteen species in Hawai'i.
| Charonia tritonis (Linnaeus 1767), the Triton's
Trumpet (or Pu ole in Hawaiian). To twenty inches. . Indo-Pacific. Used by the Greek God Triton as
well as Hawaiian and other indigenous folks as a blow horn. Important as a
predator on Crown of Thorns Stars as well as other echinoderms. Hawai'i
pic. |
 
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Cowries, Family Cypraeidae
| Cypraea species (not all...) Cypraea annulus Linnaeus 1758, the Gold
Ringed Cowry (family Cypraeidae). A great animal for reef aquariums with
algae to trim! Flattened top with bright golden rim... similar to the
Money Cowry (C. moneta). Indian Ocean, Red Sea, to Central Pacific,
including Hawai'i's leeward islands and the Cooks. To about half an inch in
length. This one in my friend Maurice's tank at home! |
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| Cypraea caputserpentis Linnaeus 1758, the Snakehead
Cowry. Indo-Pacific, including Hawai'i. To about an inch and a half in
shell length. This one off of Maui, Hawai'i. |
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| Cypraea maculifera
Schilder 1932, the
Reticulated Cowry. Shallow water to fifty feet, in
cracks and crevices, usually in caves. Common throughout its range in the
Central Pacific. To 2 1/2". This one in Hawaii. |
 |
| Cypraea tigris Linnaeus 1758, the Tiger Cowry. Too
common as a "curio", this is no doubt the best know Cowry (or
at least most recognized as a sea animal in the group). South Africa, Red
Sea, Hawai'i, Society Islands. To four inches shell length. One off
the Gilis, Lombok, Indonesia, another with a flashlight for size
comparison where they "come the biggest", off of Hawai'i. |
 
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Family Casididae: Helmets. Generally large shelled animals with a
short spire (the upper end of shell whorls and apex). Helmet shells have a long
aperture that sports a groove that the siphon lays in and protrudes. They feed
on urchins, both heart and spiny ones... that the spines are of no concern. Four
species in Hawai'i.
| Cassis cornuta (Linnaeus 1758), the Horned Helmut.
One of four species found in Hawai'i. Common in shallow sandy
environments. Found buried in sand with only whorls in evidence. Largest
Hawai'ian Helmut (to 15"); used as a "blow horn" by natives
in shows. Some authors believe specimens with fewer, higher horns are
males, shorter, more numerous females. Kona pix. |
 
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Family Conidae: (Superfamily Conacea, Toxoglossa). Predaceous species
with a toxoglossal radula or none, associated with poison glands. The Cone
Shells (Conus, Turris) and highly spired Terebridae (Terebra). Don't touch!
| Conus abraeus Linnaeus 1758, the Hebrew Cone.
Indo-Pacific. To 2 1/2" in length. Found exposed by day in sandy
areas feeding on polychaete worms. Distinctive "Hebrew
lettering" on heavy white shells. When alive the shell is covered
with a yellowy periostracum. Kona photo. |
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| Conus marmoreus Linnaeus 1758, the Marbled Cone.
Indo-Pacific. To 5" in length. Found at times exposed by day in sandy
areas feeding on other cones. This is one of a few toxic/venomous cone
species in Hawai'i. Cannot be handled anywhere safely. Kona photo. |
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| Conus textile Linnaeus 1758, the Textile Cone.
Indo-Pacific; Red Sea, much of the rest of the tropical Indo-Pac,
including Hawai'i. Feeds on
other prosobranch snails. Can be fatal to humans. Red Sea image. |
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Nudibranchs:
| Dendrodoris tuberculosa (Quoy & Gaimard 1832),
the Tuberculous Nudibranch. Indo-Pacific. To six inches in diameter.
Broadly roundish, flat in profile with rosette like structure over the
dorsum. Reportedly produces substance/s that cause eye irritation if
handled. Hawai'i (Kona) photo. Live in exposed rock areas with good sponge
cover. |
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| Halgerda terramtuentis Bertsch & Johnson 1982, the
Gold Lace Nudibranch. Hawaiian endemic. Michelle Lemech photo taken there. |
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| Phyllidia varicosa. Red Sea to Hawai'i. To nearly
three inches in length. In Hawai'i. The latter about three inches in length.
Hawai'i pix of a single individual and a pair. |
 
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| Phyllidiella pustulosa (Cuvier 1804). Black body with
pink tuberculations arranged in rows to clusters. Common from the Red Sea
to Hawai'i. One in Fiji, another in Hawai'i. |
 
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| Pteraeolidia ianthina (Angas 1864). Sea Dragon.
Mauritius, East Africa to Australia, Japan over to Hawai'i. To 15 cm.
Photosynthetic via endosymbiotic zooxanthellae, harvested initially be
eating hydroids. Indonesia and Hawai'i at right. |
 
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To: Part 1, Part 3, Part
4, | |
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