Something I really need to straighten out

Maika'i

New member
So often I hear the Picasso trigger, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, referred to as the "huma huma trigger"
1) The Hawaiian state fish is the "Humuhumunukunukuapua'a" so it is called "humu" for short. NOT hum-A
2) The Rhinecanthus aculeatus isn't even the Hawaiian state fish!!!!
the Rhinecanthus rectangulus is! (usually called rectangular trigger).

So if anybody should call anything a humu trigger its this, the Rhinecanthus rectangulus
432452a17cb3c1431b39351f5e6e2b0085573b.jpg

NOT this, the Rhinecanthus aculeatus
43245913df6e66c1476eeed0b9ea1588670a0e.jpg


I really needed to clear that up, its almost a pet peeve
 
yeah, that's the common trade name.

I'm wondering about the local name. If the rectangulatus is the real HumuHumu, what do they (the Hawaiians) call the R. aculeatus?

-avp
 
Re: Something I really need to straighten out

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10684160#post10684160 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Maika'i
So often I hear the Picasso trigger, Rhinecanthus aculeatus, referred to as the "huma huma trigger"

I assumed they also call it the picasso trigger there, because this is what he called it in his initial post.
 
I see your point, but I would bet he's refering to LFS and aquarists.

I doubt the Hawaiians thought of a 20th century cubist painter/scupltor from Spain when they first caught one of these.:)

-avp
 
Well although the picasso is from Hawai'i it is also from other places in the world. I do not think it was officially named by the Hawaiians, I am not positive but if somebody knows for sure let me know
 
I'm quite sure that hu-mu hu-mu nu-ku nu-ku a pu-a-'a as far as original namers were concerned refers to both triggers being mentioned in this thread, though the rectangular trigger is more commonly cited. Humuhumunukunukuapua'a losely translated means fish with a pig-nosed face.

Neither fish are the state fish, the hu-mu hu-mu nu-ku nu-ku a pu-a-'a hasn't been the state fish since I believe 1995, though many still consider it the unofficial state fish.

Also, calling it a Humu or even Humuhumu just makes matters more confusing and you're absolutely wrong to say one fish should be called a Humu and another not... In Hawaii all triggerfish are humuhumu triggerfish. For instance Melichthys niger (<--- speaking of incorrect hobby namings) is a hu-mu hu-mu 'e-le-'e-le, and the Pinktail Trigger is hu-mu hu-mu hi-'u-ko-le, etc. To native Hawaiians, Humuhumu or Humu should = Triggerfish.
 
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Thanks Peter! I was thinking along the same lines about the naming conventions, that is all triggers are Humu humus of some type.

-avp
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10687471#post10687471 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
I'm quite sure that hu-mu hu-mu nu-ku nu-ku a pu-a-'a as far as original namers were concerned refers to both triggers being mentioned in this thread, though the rectangular trigger is more commonly cited. Humuhumunukunukuapua'a losely translated means fish with a pig-nosed face.

Neither fish are the state fish, the hu-mu hu-mu nu-ku nu-ku a pu-a-'a hasn't been the state fish since I believe 1995, though many still consider it the unofficial state fish.

Also, calling it a Humu or even Humuhumu just makes matters more confusing and you're absolutely wrong to say one fish should be called a Humu and another not... In Hawaii all triggerfish are humuhumu triggerfish. For instance Melichthys niger (<--- speaking of incorrect hobby namings) is a hu-mu hu-mu 'e-le-'e-le, and the Pinktail Trigger is hu-mu hu-mu hi-'u-ko-le, etc. To native Hawaiians, Humuhumu or Humu should = Triggerfish.

that's what I thought but I am new so I kept my mouth shut
 
Actually, the humu has become the state fish again - a recent law was passed to make it so, as designated here

And my agreement was more in regards to people mispronouncing it "huma" rather than "humu". I see "huma trigger" quite a bit. I'm sure the Hawaiians probably called both fish "humuhumunukunukuapua`a" since they often didn't make distinctions when it didn't make any practical difference. My book "Shore Fishes of Hawai`i" by John Randall states the Hawaiian name for both fishes to be the same.

Spleen
 
years go by. lol

quote form another info site

Hawaiian Name:
Hu-mu hu-mu nu-ku nu-ku a pu-a-'a.

Both the Rhinecantus aculeatus and rectangulus bear this famous long Hawaiian name. Roughly translated this name means "fish with a pig-nosed face". In short, this and most all other Triggerfishes worldwide are referred to commonly as Humu-Humu's, and sometimes incorrectly as Huma-Huma's, but these names do not actually identify an individual species one may have.
 
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