AHOLEHOLE

any of several species of fishes constituting the family Kuhliidae (order Perciformes). Various members of the genus Kuhlia inhabit marine or fresh waters in the Indo-Pacific region, whereas representatives of the other two genera are restricted to freshwater or brackish habitats of Australia. Superficially the aholeholes resemble the freshwater sunfishes (family Centrarchidae) and are presumably closely related. The Hawaiian aholehole (Kuhlia sandvicensis) is restricted to coastal waters throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Its maximum length is about 30 cm (12 inches). Some species in the family reach lengths of 45 cm (18 inches).