Appearance

Appearance

Young fish have scattered dark spots. Adults develop fused teeth that form a hard beak; very large fish can lose their spots and develop a pale mouth.

Look-alikes

Barred KnifejawOplegnathus fasciatus

Young Spotted Knifejaw have scattered spots, while young Barred Knifejaw have broad dark bands.

Why they get mixed up · Both knifejaws have deep bodies and beaklike teeth.

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• Rocky and coral reefs

Range

In the U.S., it is most common in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and is sometimes seen around Kauaʻi and Niʻihau. It also lives across the western Pacific, including Japan and Korea.

Preferred conditions

Young fish travel with drifting seaweed before settling around reefs.

Behavior

Diet

Around Hawaiʻi, it crushes mollusks and also eats algae.

Cautions

Cautions

In Hawaiian waters, this fish can carry toxins that cause ciguatera.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

NENot Evaluated·Not yet assessed