Hughes informally announced the discovery last week as a means of giving recognition, and hopefully protection, to other sea creatures along the Kona coast that could be threatened by development.

Formal recognition of the fish, including bestowing a new species name, will take about a year, said Randall, who is writing a scientific paper on the discovery.

Hughes holds a degree in marine science and conservation biology from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. He takes the word "conservation" in that title seriously.

"This shows there's a very good chance that there are other species that we haven't discovered," he said.