Lutjanus kasmira
(Forsskål, 1775)

Common Names: Bluestripe Snapper, ta'ape Distribution: Tropical Pacific; introduced to Hawai'i from the Marquesas Islands.

Remarks: Occurring in huge schools in moderately deep water around the Hawaiian Islands, this introduced fish has certainly successfully filled a niche here. Unfortunately, that niche seems to be one interfering with the success of other deep-water snapper species in Hawaiian waters. It is still too early to say with any certainty whether increasing taape numbers equate to declining numbers of red snapper, but many are concerned about the seemingly unchecked growth of taape schools. In a habitat already limited in carrying capacity, introduced taape could be a serious destabilizing influence. Certainly the issue demands study.

Photos © 1997 by Richard L. Pyle This page last revised 09 June 1997