Another fish from our biological monitoring list, the na‘ena‘e is very common in the MLCD.
The orange band running along the body behind the eye is the primary identifying feature. The main body color can vary from an almost light grey to dark brown with the back half of the fish almost black.
Reaching a max size of 30 cm (thats bigger than measuring scale E), these herbivore fish are found both swimming in schools and solo as they search the rocks for food.
orangeband surgeonfish
orangeband surgeonfish
photos courtesy Sandi Strickland and Drew Wheeler