Giant Trevally | Hawaiian Marine LIfe

Park Hours
9 AM - 5 PM

Park Hours 9 AM - 5 PM

Giant Trevally

The jacks, or trevally, are a family of strong-swimming predators frequently seen at drop-offs or near reefs. Usually silvery in color, most have streamlined bodies with varying body shapes across genus and forked tails. For most species, the base of the tail is slender and usually reinforced by specially strengthened scales called scutes.

 

Jacks can grow to over five feet in length, and records have shown them weighing in at close to 200 pounds. Jacks are highly prized as game fish by fishers because of their size and their ability to put on a fight. Jacks are abundant in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, where they are protected. Schools are frequently seen near reefs or drop-offs, and they hunt in the early morning or late afternoon hours. Typically feeding on other fishes, they can also be seen foraging on the bottom for crustaceans and other invertebrates.

Did you know?

There are about 140 species of jacks worldwide, 24 of which are present in Hawaiian waters.

The giant trevally or white ulua is commonly observed in schools or as solitary individuals. They have a distinct steep profile head and a black spot at the base of their pectoral fin that distinguishes this species from others in the same genus. An all-black appearance can distinguish courting males, whereas females are silver in color. One of the largest jacks, they are agile pack hunters who display aggressive behavior and bite anything when curious.

 

*Due to the constant rotation of animals back to the ocean, we cannot guarantee the presence of any specific animal.

Hawaiian Name: ulua aukea
Scientific Name: Caranx ignobilis
Where to See: Deep Reef, Open Ocean Exhibit*

share with friends

Discover More Maui Ocean Center marine life

Broad Stingray

The broad stingray is found only in Hawaiʻi and Taiwan. Most researchers agree their populations are plentiful. They are one of four species known to inhabit Hawaiian waters that belong to the suborder elasmobranchs (cartilaginous fishes including sharks, skates, and rays).

Whitetip Reef Shark

The whitetip reef shark is found throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans and is associated with the coral reef environment. In the Hawaiian Islands, they can be observed resting in caves or under ledges since they are the only shark in Hawaiian waters with the ability to stop swimming and rest for long periods at a time, making them more commonly observed by divers. These sharks are gray in coloration and have slightly flat heads with distinct white tips on the tops of the first and second dorsal and tail fins.

Cone Snail

The cone snail is one of the largest marine snail families represented in the Hawaiian Islands. Displaying beautiful patterns and colors, they are quite popular with collectors. They are typically active at night, and many spend a great deal of time buried under sand or hiding under plate corals. Cone snail habitats vary for different species; some prefer mangroves or sandy banks, while others prefer much deeper waters to search for other snails and fish. Hawaiʻi has 34 species of cones, with a few species being endemic to the islands.