Say hello to the Arc-eye hawkfsh (Paracirrhites arcatus).

It is also referred to as the Horseshoe Hawkfish, the Ring-eye Hawkfish, and the White-line hawkfish. Distinguishable by the orange arc above it’s eye. Their eyes point upward, and they have a set of teeth on the underside of their jaws that they use to hold prey in place as they eat them alive.

They are named for the behavior of perching, on their pectoral fins, in raised locations on the reef. From there, they ambush their prey by darting out quickly and catching their prey. This ambush process is much like a Hawk. They are carnivores, and eat small fish, crustaceans in addition to larger plankton.

Interesting fact, most fish have swim bladders, yet the Hawkfish does not. This means they have to swim in order to NOT sink. This allows for the rapid darting behavior of capturing prey. Fish with swim bladders have to adjust to pressure, and do not have that ambush ability. They are usually solitary, territorial, and do not school together. Next time you are in the water, look for them perching on a piece of coral. They can be seen in waters from 3 feet to about 100 feet. They can blend into their environment very well, and will be very still !!

This colorful image was taken off a West Maui Beach by the dedicated staff of Ocean Project Maui. They offer custom, private snorkel tours around the island of Maui, Hawaii. Each #COLORSOFTHEOCEAN image you see in our monthly blog, was captured during a private guided snorkel tour. These amazing images, as well as images above and below the water of the clients/supporters are included in every tour at no additional cost.

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