Kapingamarangi English

n. dussumieri tang

Scientific name: Acanthurus dussumieri,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. hound needlefish

Scientific name: Tylosurus crocodilus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. keeltail needlefish

Scientific name: Platybelone platyura,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. shell without hermit crab

n. oysters

n. crown of thorns starfish

Example: Photo by Matt Kiefer December 5, 2011 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. white-edged lyretail; yellow-edged lyretail

Scientific name: Aetobatus narinari; Variola louti,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. mollusk

Example: Photo by Peter Eimon April 14, 2013 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Scientific name: Tridachna maxima,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. yellowfin tang

Scientific name: Acanthurus xanthopterus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. Crown of Thorns starfish

Scientific name: Acanthaster planci,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. octopi in general

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. rabbitfish species

Scientific name: Siganus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. parrotfish species

Scientific name: Scarus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

noun shell

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library October 25, 2010 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. snail shell used for a horn

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. red snapper

Example: Photo by Florida Fish and Wildlife Center April 3, 2012 via Flickr License: CC BY-ND 2.0

Scientific name: Lutjanus vaigiensis,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. moorish idol

Scientific name: Zanclus cornutus

n. octopus ink

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. bigeye trevally

Scientific name: Caranx sexfasciatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sea cucumber

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library September 6, 2013 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. term for school of goat fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. branching coral

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library September 22, 2010 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

tentacles of an octopus

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. ghost crab

Example: Photo by beautifulcataya May 1, 2005 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Scientific name: Ocypodinae sp.,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. Hawksbill sea turtle

Scientific name: Eretmochelys imbricata,
Speaker: Lieber, Michael D. and Kalio H. Dikepa. 1974.

n. bignose unicornfish

Scientific name: Naso vlamingii,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. Vlaming’s unicorn fish

Scientific name: Cyphomycter vlamingi,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. bluespine unicornfish; whitemargin unicornfish

Scientific name: Naso unicornis; Naso annulatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. zebra striped sturgeon fish

Example: Photo by Cliff July 20, 2008 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Scientific name: Zebrasoma veliferum,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. fish

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library September 22, 2010 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

n. school of fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

fish name (used only in compounds)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. stingray in general. round ribbontail ray; blue spotted ray

Scientific name: Taeniura melanospilos; Dasyatis kuhlii,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. whale in general

n. manta ray

Scientific name: Manta alfredi

n. spotted eagle ray

Scientific name: Aetobatis narinari,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. lionfish in general; red lionfish

Scientific name: Pterois volitans,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. flying fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. fish fin

n. green sea turtle

Example: Photo by prilfish July 20, 2011 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Scientific name: Chelonia mydas,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. bullet parrotfish

Scientific name: Chlorurus sordidus

n. picasso triggerfish; orange striped triggerfish

Scientific name: Rhinecanthus aculeatus; Balistapus undulatus

n. triggerfish or filefish in general

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. coconut crab

Scientific name: Birgus latro

n. cane toad

Scientific name: Rhinella marina,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sponge

n. eel species (many species)

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. banded snake eel

Scientific name: Myrichthys colubrinus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. octopus ink

n. two-striped sweetlips; silver-banded sweetlips; oriental sweetlips

Scientific name: Plectorhinchus albovittatus; Plectorhinchus gaterinoides; Plectorhinchus vittatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sleek unicornfish

Scientific name: Naso Hexacanthus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. stocky hawkfish

Scientific name: Cirrhitus pinnulatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. surgeonfish species

Scientific name: Acanthurus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. epaulette surgeonfish; orange shoulder tang

Scientific name: Acanthurus nigricauda; Acanthurus olicaceus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. pale-lipped surgeonfish; whitespotted surgeonfish; ringtail surgeonfish; Achilles tang

Scientific name: Acanthurus leucocheilus; Acanthurus guttatus; Acanthurus blochii; Acanthurus achilles,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. coral grouper

Scientific name: Plectropomus leopardus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. common silver-biddy

Scientific name: Gerres argyreus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. starfish

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library September 24, 2010 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. shark

Example: Photo by c.lathe. July 6, 2008 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. starfish

Example: Photo by NOAA Photo Library September 24, 2010 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Scientific name: Asteroidea sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. wahoo

Scientific name: Acanthocybium solandri,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. speckled squirrelfish; violet squirrelfish; silverspot squirrelfish

Scientific name: Sargocentron punctatissimum; Sargocentron violaceum; Sargocentron caudimaculatum,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. convict tang

Scientific name: Acanthurus triostegus

n. crocodile

Example: Photo by PG Palmer October 16, 2004 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Speaker: Hawortson Heinrich

n. nurse shark

Scientific name: Nebrius concolor

n. longnosed emperor

Scientific name: Lethrinus olivaceus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sweeperfish and sea chub species

Scientific name: Kyphosus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. grouper species

Scientific name: Epinephelus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. squid and cuttlefish

n. group of fish

n. barracuda in general, Great Barracuda

Scientific name: Sphyraena barracuda,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. gold-lined sea bream

Scientific name: Gnathodentex aurolineatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. blackspot snapper

Scientific name: Lutjanus ehrenbergi,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. dark-striped squirrelfish

Scientific name: Sargocentron praslin

n. bluegill longfin

Scientific name: Plesiops corallicola,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. blackfin barracuda

Scientific name: Sphyraena qenie,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. humpback red snapper

Scientific name: Lutjanus gibbus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sailfin snapper; bluestripe snapper

Scientific name: Symphorichthys spilurus; Lutjanus kasmira,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. black jack

Scientific name: Caranx lugubris,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. shrimp

n. ghost crab

Scientific name: Ocypodinae sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. symbiotic bird/fish relationship where tuna chase small fish to the surface and birds descend and eat them from the air. good for fishing.

n. kawakawa tuna or mackerel tuna

Scientific name: Euthynnus affinis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. map puffer; starry puffer

Scientific name: Arothron mappa; Arothron stellatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. spot-fin porcupinefish; sharpnose puffer; black blotched porcupinefish

Scientific name: Diodon hystrix; Canthigaster valentini; Diodon liturosus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. branching coral that itches

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. whale in general

n. red-breasted wrasse

Scientific name: Cheilinus fasciatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. flame tail snapper

Scientific name: Etelis coruscans

n. saddleback coral grouper

Scientific name: Plectropomus laevis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. surge wrasse; christmas wrasse

Scientific name: Thalassoma purpureum; Thalassoma trilobatum,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. pacific longnose parrotfish

Scientific name: Hipposcarus longiceps,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. white trevally

Scientific name: Pseudocaranx dentex,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. scale of a fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. mollusk sp.

Scientific name: Nerita picea,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. mahi mahi or common dolphinfish

Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus

n. coconut crab

Example: Photo by Drew Avery February 18, 2007 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Scientific name: Birgus latro,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. coconut crab

Scientific name: Birgus latro,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. spider conch

Scientific name: Lambis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sea urchin

Example: Photo by Tim Sheerman-Chase October 3, 2013 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,