| Hawaiian bigeye ʻāweoweo |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Beryciformes |
| Family: | Priacanthidae |
| Genus: | Priacanthus |
| Species: | P. meeki |
| Binomial name | |
| Priacanthus meeki (Jenkins, 1903) |
|
Priacanthus meeki is a red fish found in Hawaiian and Midway Islands. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 33 cm in length.[1] Common names are Hawaiian bigeye in English and ʻāweoweo in the Hawaiian language.[2] It lends its name to Mokuaweoweo, the summit caldera of the Mauna Loa volcano.[3]
According to Hawaiian legends and history when large swarms of these fish gather, it fortells the death of a member of the aliʻi (royal) family, ie. Liliuokalani and Likelike, to name some.