Marine biologist Terry Lilley recently encountered a rare sight while diving in Palau – a large school of aweoweo bigeye fish engaging in a mass spawning event. The aweoweo fish, known for their bright red color and significance in Hawaiian culture, were seen releasing sperm and eggs in unison, a behavior rarely observed in this species.
This event, captured on video by Lilley, sheds light on the mysterious behavior of these fish, which are known to foretell the death of a chief in Hawaiian folklore. Despite over 3,000 dives in Hawaii, Lilley had never witnessed such a spectacle, emphasizing the rarity of this occurrence.
The aweoweo fish, which typically appear red in caves due to the black coloration that turns silver in sunlight, surprised Lilley with their vibrant colors and tame behavior. The mass spawning event, witnessed by hundreds of these fish, highlights the complexity and mystery of marine life in Hawaii.
Lilley, a co-founder of Reef Guardians Hawai‘i, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting coral reefs, hopes to raise awareness about the importance of marine conservation. To view the video of the aweoweo fish mass spawning event in Palau, visit Lilley’s YouTube channel Underwater2web.
This rare sighting serves as a reminder of the diverse and extraordinary marine life that inhabits the waters of Hawaii. As we continue to explore and study these ecosystems, there is still much to learn and discover about the natural world beneath the sea.
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Photo credit www.thegardenisland.com