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. bluefin trevally

Scientific name: Caranx melampygus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. skipjack tuna

Scientific name: Katsuwonus pelamis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

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. yellowfin tang

Scientific name: Acanthurus xanthopterus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. streamlined spinefoot

Scientific name: Siganus argenteus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. black-spot tang

Scientific name: Acanthurus bariene,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. scallop

n. mollusk sp.

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

n. small clam

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. rabbitfish

Example: Photo by Jan Messersmith November 29, 2006 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Scientific name: Siganus puellus,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. eel variety

Scientific name: Synaphobranchus brachysomus,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. fish sp.; eel variety

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. snail shell used for a horn

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. long branching shell (long and pointy)

n. violet squirrel fish

Example: Photo by Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble May 26, 2011 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Scientific name: Holocentrus violaceus,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

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. yellowfin tuna

Example: Photo by Nils Rinaldi October 8, 2010 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Scientific name: Neothynnus macropterus,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

school of surgeon fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. squid ink

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. goatfish species

Scientific name: Mullidae sp.

n. branching coral

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

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. spadefish and batfish species

Scientific name: Chaetodipterus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

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. 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. sailfin tang

Scientific name: Zebrasoma veliferum,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. clam that stands on its own

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. rainbow runner

Scientific name: Elagatis bipinnulatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. clam with channels in shell

n. fish

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

n. midnight snapper; black and white snapper

Scientific name: Macolor macularis; Macolor niger,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

school of red snapper

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

school of sea bass

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. giant guitarfish

Scientific name: Rhynchobatus djiddensis

n. whale in general

n. manta ray

Scientific name: Manta alfredi

n. spotted eagle ray

Scientific name: Aetobatis narinari,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. eel

Example: Giant Moray. Photo by Derek Keats. August 28, 2011 via Flickr License: CC BY 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. flying fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. shark

Example: Let sleeping sharks lie by Barry Fackler via via Flickr

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. orangespine unicornfish

Scientific name: Naso lituratus

n. triggerfish or filefish in general

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. cane toad

Scientific name: Rhinella marina,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sponge

n. snail or slug in shell

n. giant trevally

Scientific name: Caranx ignobilis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. halfbeaks

Scientific name: Hemiramphus sp.

n. spotted firmfin

Scientific name: Cirrhites pinnulatus,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

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

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

n. peacock grouper; brown-banded seabass; coral hind

Scientific name: Cephalopholis argus; Cephalopholis boenak; Cephalopholis miniata,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. coral grouper

Scientific name: Plectropomus leopardus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. mimic octopus and similar species

Scientific name: Thaumoctopus mimicus

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. crowned squirrelfish; samurai squirrelfish; smallmouth squirrelfish

Scientific name: Sargocentron diadema; Sargocentron ittodai; Sargocentron microstoma,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. scalloped hammerhead; Great Hammerhead

Scientific name: Sphyrna lewini; Sphyrna mokorran,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. goatfish species

Scientific name: Mullidae sp.

n. nurse shark

Scientific name: Nebrius concolor,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. reef whitetip shark

Example: Let sleeping sharks lie by Barry Fackler via via Flickr

Scientific name: Triaenodon obesus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sweeperfish and sea chub species

Scientific name: Kyphosus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sea bass

Example: Photo by Malcomle Brown February 14, 2011 via Flickr License: CC BY-ND 2.0

Scientific name: Epinephelus fuscoguttatus,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. grouper species

Scientific name: Epinephelus sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. speckled blue grouper; greasy grouper

Scientific name: Epinephelus cyanopodus; Epinephelus tauvina,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. cuttlefish

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. squid

Example: Photo by kuribo April 6, 2012 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. group of fish

n. scorpionfish species

Example: Photo by Coby Bidwell August 1, 2013 via Flickr License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

n. sling jaw wrasse

Scientific name: Epibulus insidiator,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. dark-striped squirrelfish

Scientific name: Sargocentron praslin

n. sammara squirrelfish

Scientific name: Neoniphon sammara,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. slipper lobster species

Scientific name: Scyllaridae sp.

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. blue boxfish

Scientific name: Ostracion meleagris

n. black jack

Scientific name: Caranx lugubris,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. tuna

n. black-banded snapper

Scientific name: Lutjanus semicinctus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. one spot snapper

Scientific name: Lutjanus monostigma,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. ghost crab

Scientific name: Ocypodinae sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. coral grouper

Scientific name: Plectropomus leopardus

n. branching coral

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. squaretail coral grouper

Scientific name: Plectropomus areolatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. green jobfish, also known as slender snapper

Scientific name: Aprion virescens,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974, Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. tufted spiny lobster

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

Scientific name: Panulirus penicillatus,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. pacific longnose parrotfish

Scientific name: Hipposcarus longiceps,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. blue and gold fusilier

Scientific name: Caesio caerulaurea,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. scale of a fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. hermit crab

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. spider conch

Scientific name: Lambis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. dogfish tuna

Scientific name: Gymnosarda unicolor,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich