Monument Features


Creature Features

Padina on deep reef at Kure Atoll.

Brown ear seaweed
Padina is a common brown algae (limu) in Hawaiian intertidal and shallow reef habitats.
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Titan scorpionfish at Midway.

Titan scorpionfish
Scorpionfish are experts at camouflage.
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Manta ray at Mokumanamana.

Manta Ray
Manta rays, hāhālua, are large fish, weighing up to 3,000 lbs.
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Chevron Butterflyfish.

Chevron Butterflyfish
Chevron Butterflyfish are found in the Indo-West Pacific, including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, but are considered rare in the main Hawaiian Islands due to the absence of their primary food source.
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Bigeye Emperor.

Bigeye Emperor, Mū
Mū are an odd fish, almost like cows of the shallow reef, the way they gather in groups and wander about.
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Hawaiian grouper.

Hawaiian grouper
The Hawaiian grouper is endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago and is most common around Midway and Kure Atoll, but very rarely seen on the other Hawaiian Islands.
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Laysan duck hunting brine flies.

Laysan Duck
The Laysan duck is considered to be one of the most critically endangered waterfowl in the world, and is endemic to Hawaiʻi.
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Spotted coral blennie.

Spotted Coral Blenny
These blennies are a fun underwater sight in the coral reefs of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
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Polished Nerite.

Polished Nerite
Kūpeʻe are sea snails that live in sandy areas under boulders near the shore line.
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Male Masked Angel at Pearl and Hermes Atoll.

Masked Angelfish
The masked angelfish is a rare species found most abundantly in the Northwestern Islands.
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Spotted Knifejaw

Spotted Knifejaw
Another interesting fish more prevalent in the cooler Northwest waters of Hawaii is the Spotted Knifejaw.
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Galapagos Shark

Galapagos Shark
The Galapagos shark are a fairly common sight in the protected waters of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
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Black-lipped pearl oyster

Black-lipped pearl oyster
This pearl oyster is treasured by many cultures because it produces the expensive Tahitian black pearl.
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Banded Cleaner Shrimp or Banded Coral Shrimp

Banded Cleaner Shrimp or Banded Coral Shrimp
This colorful shrimp is found around the world in all warm seas and is typically found hiding inside coral heads or underneath ledges.
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Feathery Black Coral

Feathery Black Coral
This black coral species was only recently discovered in the Monument because it is typically found in waters deeper than 200 feet.
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Anemone Hermit Crab

Anemone Hermit Crab
The anemone hermit crab is common in deeper waters of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
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