152 Hawaiian Fishes 



in length. Because of their voracious habits and because they frequent 

 shorelines, they are often a source of trouble in mullet ponds. 



This fish is distributed from the Red Sea eastward to Hawaii and in 

 the West Atlantic from the West Indies to Massachusetts. 



Kawalea or Japanese Barracuda 



73-2 Sphyraena japonic a Cuvier 



Drown from Jordan & Evermonn 



The kawalea is of a steel olive color above and is often marked 

 with two light yellow stripes along each side which seem to fade with 

 age. This fish is reported to reach a length of three feet. 



This species was never called kaku by the Hawaiians. 



This barracuda is distributed from the East Indies to Japan and the 

 Hawaiian Islands. 



THE THREAD FIN OR THREAD FISH FAMILY 



74 Family Polynemidae 



The thread fin fishes are usually bluish and silvery in color and are 

 sometimes striped with black. They have the pectoral fin divided into 

 two parts to form a free filament which may be as long or longer than 

 the body. 



The thread fins live along sandy shores in tropical seas and sometimes 

 enter fresh water rivers. They are carnivorous fishes although they are 

 neither active nor voracious. Most of the members are edible and their 

 flesh is valued as food. 



The family is small and includes about 25 species, only one of which 

 is known from the Hawaiian Islands. 



