The Hawaiian squirrelfish, or ‘ala‘ihi in Hawaiian, could stand in as the wolf character in an underwater adaptation of the Little Red Riding Hood. “What a big mouth you have! What big eyes you have!” Their large mouths and eyes are adaptations for these nocturnal creatures who feed on crustaceans in the night and quickly take flight when approached. They communicate by vibrating their swim bladders, making clicking and grunting noises, especially when threatened. Isn’t nature wild?
The ‘ala‘ihi are endemic to Hawaii and the Johnson Atolls, inhabiting seaward reefs below the surge zone, near caves and ledges. They are brilliant red with silvery-white stripes stretching along their bodies, two distinct diagonal white lines marking the head, and a vermillion dorsal spine sporting white tips. Also known as the striped squirrelfish, they grow up to 17 cm and have sharp gill spines and rough scales.
• Rubber sole
• Customizable 100% polyester fabric lining
• Black Y-shaped rubber straps
• Toe post style
