150 Fishes to Celebrate 150 Years
This list is still in progress and being added to weekly. Check back again soon!
150 Fishes to Celebrate 150 Years
In 2020, the American Fisheries Society will celebrate its 150th Anniversary. As part of the celebration, the Society will be calling attention to 150 fishes. We solicited nominations of fishes for the list by the Society’s membership.
The 150 Fishes list is a celebration of the biodiversity of freshwater and marine fishes of North America. These fishes will help tell the story of fish and fisheries of the continent. They may illustrate unique life histories, beauty, conservation issues, and challenges of managing and conserving these animals and their habitats. These fishes represent our native biodiversity, but also illustrates how invasives and our own human nature have had impacts on our aquatic resources. Hence, this list will primarily focus on native species but may include non-natives when they tell a compelling fisheries story. From the stories of these fishes, the Society and the public can learn to better appreciate these amazing natural resources and be challenged to ensure that future generations will be able to experience these fishes in their native settings.
Nomination Process
Fish nominations are now closed.
Circulation Process
The 150 Fishes list will reside at the 150th Anniversary Website, information about individual fish from the list will be circulated through various social media platforms throughout the year.
This list is meant to be a fun for members and informative for the public. It is unlikely we will be able to include all nominations. We acknowledge that every fish has a story. There may be opportunities to discuss all the nominated fishes in the future.
FULL LIST OF NOMINATED FISH
| Catchy Title | The tiny fish with a big name |
|---|---|
| Common Name of Fish | Humuhumunukunukuapuaa, Wedge-tail triggerfish |
| Scientific Name of Fish | Rhinecanthus rectangulus |
| Image of Fish |  |
| Image Caption and Credit | Randall, J.E. 1997. Randall's underwater photos |
| Description of Why This Fish Is Important/Interesting | The wedge-tail triggerfish, affectionally known by locals as the humuhumu, is the official state fish of Hawaii. The humuhumu is supremely adapted to life on the reef with a “trigger” or second spine that allows it to lock onto rocky ledges and rest when needed. The humuhumu is also a master at avoiding predators, not only does it have rough scales that allow it to squeeze into small rocky crevasses to hide, it can change the pigment of it’s scales to blend into its surroundings. Although the humuhumu is a relatively small fish, only growing up to 25 cm, it can be very territorial and has a tendency to strike out at intruders. Its unique mask like face, blue-teeth, and colorful body make it a popular fish to observe for snorkelers and divers. |
| Website or Journal Article for More Information | https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Rhinecanthus-rectangulus |
| Your Name | Erin Tracy |