COMMON NAMES: Highfin Rudderfish, Topsail Drummer, Snubnose Chub, Ashen Drummer, Blue Sea Chub; German Hochflossen-Ruderfisch; French Saupe Grise, Calicagère Bleue

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Nanuē / Pipi < Nanuē (RR), Raupipi < Tiotio < Nanue-tapa‘uru (MG), Tio Pakeke (MK), Nanue / Tio < Nanue < Nanue Paka (MT), Nanue / Pipi Nanue < Nanue (AK PK), Katutu Nanue / Pipi (PL), Nanuē (TS TW); Other Polynesian - Nanue (TAH), Utomo (MVA); COMMENT: Aitutaki: Pipi Nanūe (silvery) < Nanūe (grey).

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa to Easter, Hawai‘i; n. to s.Japan; s. to GBR

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Omnivorous, mainly feeding on benthic algae, relatively high in the water. Over algal covered area in lagoons and on outer reef-flats. down to 25m. PLUS: S.Group common;; Marine, near-shore, reef-flats and outer reef-slope

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Reasonable eating

KEY FEATURES: To 40cm SL. Silvery-grey, high-oval fish, large tail with equal lobes; the soft hindsection of Dorsal distinctly higher than foresection. A pale stripe on the cheek. Sometimes yellow above and white below. Dorsal XI,12; gill rakers 8-10+18-20=26-30.

SIMILAR SPECIES: The Highfin Rudderfish is distinctive in having the hind-section of the dorsal conspicously higher than the fore-section - notable in the field. Those with uniform height dorsal fins are Insular Rudderfish (Kyphosus bigibbus) which has a pale stripe below the dorsal fin and across the forehead; and the Lowfin Rudderfish (Kyphosus vaigiensis) which lacks pale marks, and has a dark tail and anal fin. When colours are unusual fin-ray and gill raker counts enable reliable identification.