Hawaiian Fishes 



357 



the bases of the soft dorsal and the anal fins. It reaches a length of about 

 twelve inches. 



This species is distributed from Zanzibar through the East Indies, 

 along China, and through Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia as far 

 as the Hawaiian Islands. 



THE FILE FISH FAMILY 



Also known as the Leather Jackets or Fool Fishes 

 129 Family Monocanthidae 



The file fishes resemble in many ways the members of die trigger 

 fish family. They are small and less brightly colored than the trigger 

 fishes and have but a single spine on the back instead of the three found 

 in the trigger fishes. The skin of these fishes is usually of a rough, velvety 

 texture and the scales are reduced in size and are shagreen-like in texture. 



The file fishes have no economic importance. They are mostly small 

 in size or bony and contain little palatable flesh. Those which might be 

 eaten are usually of a bitter taste. 



Herbivorous in their habits, they abound in the tropics and temperate 

 seas of the Pacific Ocean. They do not occur in Europe. 



At least seven members of the family occur in Hawaiian waters. 



Oili or Uwiwi 

 Also known as the Fantail File Fish or Oeoe 

 129-1 Monacanthus spilosoma Lay & Bennett 



Plate VIII, Figure 5 



Drown 



Jordon & Evermonn 



