Giant kahawai facts for kids

The giant kahawai, also known as the northern kahawai or Kermadec kahawai, is a type of fish that lives in the ocean. It belongs to a group of fish called Arripis. This group is the only one in the fish family known as Arripidae. You can find this special fish only in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

What Does the Giant Kahawai Look Like?

The giant kahawai has a body shape similar to the "Australian salmon" species. Its body is smooth, long, and a little flat on the sides.

Key Differences from Other Fish

One main difference is its caudal fin, which is its tail fin. The giant kahawai's tail fin is longer than its head! It also has a different number of gill rakers. These are small, bony parts inside a fish's gills that help them filter food.

• The giant kahawai has 12-17 + 20-25 gill rakers.
• The A. truttacea has 7-11 + 16-17 gill rakers.
• The A. trutta has 16-18 + 28-32 gill rakers.

The giant kahawai also has bigger eyes than the other two species.

Colors and Fins

This fish is a deep bluish-green color on its head and body. Its back has irregular dark grey spots. Its belly is silvery white. The pectoral fins, which are on its sides, are grey. All its other fins are clear or light grey. Young giant kahawai fish have a dark edge on their anal fin, which is the fin on their underside near the tail.

The long fin on its back, called the dorsal fin, has 9 strong spines and 15-16 soft rays. The anal fin has 3 spines and 9-10 soft rays. The biggest giant kahawai ever recorded was about 85 centimetres (33 in) long. This measurement is called its standard length.

Where Does the Giant Kahawai Live?

The giant kahawai lives in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. You can find it around Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. Both of these islands are in the Tasman Sea. It also lives in the northern parts of New Zealand, all the way to the Kermadec Islands.

Giant Kahawai's Home and Habits

The giant kahawai is a pelagic species. This means it lives in the open ocean, not usually near the bottom. It swims over the continental shelf, which is the underwater land that extends from a continent. Scientists don't know much about the daily life or habits of this fish yet.

Naming the Giant Kahawai

The giant kahawai was first officially described in 1993. It was named by a scientist named Chris D. Paulin. The first place this fish was found and studied was Raoul Island in the Kermadec Islands.

What Does the Name Mean?

The scientific name for this fish is Arripis xylabion. The second part of its name, xylabion, comes from the Greek word for "fire-tongs." This name was chosen because of the fish's long tail lobes, which look a bit like the arms of fire-tongs.