Kapingamarangi English

n. large clam

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. white-edged lyretail; yellow-edged lyretail

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

n. bicolor parrotfish

Scientific name: Cetoscarus bicolor

n. flatfish (flounder, halibut, etc)

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. yellowfin tang

Scientific name: Acanthurus xanthopterus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. Crown of Thorns starfish

Scientific name: Acanthaster planci,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. streamlined spinefoot

Scientific name: Siganus argenteus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. scallop

n. mollusk sp.

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

n. rabbitfish species

Scientific name: Siganus sp.,
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. snail shell used for a horn

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

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. octopus ink

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. squid ink

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. rippled triggerfish; yellowmargin triggerfish; titan triggerfish

Example: Pseudobalistes fuscus; Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus; Balistoides viridescens

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. goatfish species

Scientific name: Mullidae sp.

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,

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. 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. rainbow runner

Scientific name: Elagatis bipinnulatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. clam with channels in shell

n. six-banded wrasse

Scientific name: Thalassoma hardwickii,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

school of red snapper

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

fish name (used only in compounds)

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. giant guitarfish

Scientific name: Rhynchobatus djiddensis

n. whale in general

n. manta ray

Scientific name: Manta alfredi,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. manta ray

Scientific name: Manta alfredi

n. spotted eagle ray

Scientific name: Aetobatis narinari,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. flying fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. appendage; fin

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. fish fin

n. sharksucker remora species

Scientific name: Echeneidae sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. blacktip reef shark

Scientific name: Carcharhinus melanopterus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

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. tail of a fish

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. picasso triggerfish; orange striped triggerfish

Scientific name: Rhinecanthus aculeatus; Balistapus undulatus

n. undulate triggerfish

Example: Photo by zsispeo February 10, 2013 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Scientific name: Balistapus undulatus,
Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. greater amberjack

Scientific name: Seriola dumerili,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. cooked fish

n. giant trevally

Scientific name: Caranx ignobilis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. banded snake eel

Scientific name: Myrichthys colubrinus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. wrasse species

n. stocky hawkfish

Scientific name: Cirrhitus pinnulatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. blue-spotted bristletooth

Scientific name: Ctenochaetus marginatus,
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. wide-band fusilier

Scientific name: Pterocaesio lativittata,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. short jawed bonefish

Scientific name: Albula glossodonta,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. shark

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

Source: Lieber & Dikepa 1974,

n. dolphin

Example: Photo by manoellemos February 9, 2007 via Flickr License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus,
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. fusilier species

Scientific name: Pterocaesio sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. goatfish species

Scientific name: Mullidae sp.

n. humphead wrasse

Scientific name: Cheilinus undulates

n. zebra or leopard shark

Scientific name: Stegastoma varium,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. bait on fishing hook

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. blacksaddle grouper

Scientific name: Epinephelus howlandi

n. speckled blue grouper; greasy grouper

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

n. cuttlefish

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. squid and cuttlefish

n. group of fish

n. sling jaw wrasse

Scientific name: Epibulus insidiator,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. gold-lined sea bream

Scientific name: Gnathodentex aurolineatus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. sabre squirrelfish; blue-lined squirrelfish

Scientific name: Sargocentron spiniferum; Sargocentron tiere,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. dark-striped squirrelfish

Scientific name: Sargocentron praslin

n. bluegill longfin

Scientific name: Plesiops corallicola,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. slipper lobster species

Scientific name: Scyllaridae sp.

n. humpback red snapper

Scientific name: Lutjanus gibbus,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. yellowfin tuna

Scientific name: Thunnus albacares,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. blue boxfish

Scientific name: Ostracion meleagris

n. black jack

Scientific name: Caranx lugubris,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. tuna

n. shrimp

n. one spot snapper

Scientific name: Lutjanus monostigma,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. ghost crab

Scientific name: Ocypodinae sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. branching coral

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. map puffer; starry puffer

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

n. branching coral that itches

Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. whale in general

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. Triton’s trumpet

Scientific name: Charonia tritonis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. mollusk sp.

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

n. mahi mahi or common dolphinfish

Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus

n. coconut crab

Scientific name: Birgus latro,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. spider conch

Scientific name: Lambis,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. dogfish tuna

Scientific name: Gymnosarda unicolor,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich

n. spiny urchin

Scientific name: Echinoidea sp.,
Speaker: Howartson Heinrich