Fish groups
A> Butterflyfish, angelfish & surgeonfish. Characteristics: Thin, oval or disk shaped bodies. Bright colors & paterns.

Blue Ringed Angelfish [Pomacanthus annularis] 45cm
B> Jacks (Trevally), barracuda, Porgy & Chub. Characteristics: usually silver with forked tails. Some of the largest fish on or near a reef.

Great Barracuda [Sphyraena barracuda] 190cm
C> Snappers & Grunts (sweetlips).
- Harlequin Sweetlips [Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides] 60cm. Juvenile brown = orange/white; Intermediates black/white; Large adults small spots over most of body & head

Oriental Sweetlip [Plectorhinchus vittatus]
D> Damselfish, Chromis & Hamlets. Characteristics: Small, oval shaped fish dart in and out crevices on the reef. The Indo-Pacific Anemonefish is a damselfish.

Clown Anemonefish [Amphiprion ocellaris] 10cm
E> Groupers, Seabass & Basslets. Characteristics: Proportionately big body with large mouths & lips. Tend to be solitary and hang out in the shadows. These fish are predators.
F> Parrotfish & Wrasse.
- Ember parrotfish [Scarus rubroviolaceus] 40cm; scraping algae off hard surfaces
- Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse [Labroides dimidiatus] 11cm
- Red Breasted Wrasse [Cheilinus fasciatus] 38cm
G> Squirrelfish, Bigeyes & Cardinalfish. Characteristics: Nocturnal fish, out on the reef by night and hiding in cracks and crevices by day. Their reddish color and big eyes makes them identify as night adapted fish.
H> Blennies, Gobies & Jawfish. Characteristics: long bodies and spends time perched in small holes on the bottom. Some gobies live together in a hole with a blind shrimp, making a good example of symbiose. Some types of gobies are cleaners, meaning pick parasites off of other fish.
I> Flounders, Scorpionfish, Lizardfish & Frogfish. Characteristics: although form different families, this group consists of bottom dwelling fish with excellent camouflage and unusual shapes.

Pacific Lionfish [Pterois volitans]

Pacific Lionfish [Pterois volitans]

Bearded Scorpionfish [Scorpaenopsis barbatus] 22cm

Frogfish (Anglerfish) [Antennarius hispidus] 40cm; walking on pectoral fins
J> Filefish, Triggerfish, Puffers, Trunkfish, Cowfish, Goatfish, Trumpetfish & Drums. Characteristics: free swimming fish with unusual shapes. Filefish and triggerfish make up a family called leatherjackets, so named for rough textured skin.
- Titan Triggerfish [Balistoides viridescens] 75cm.
- Scribbled Filefish [Aluterus scriptus] 100cm.
- Giant Pufferfish [Arothron stellatus] 120cm
- Porcupinefish [Diodon liturosus] 50cm
- Yellow Boxfish [Ostracion cubicus] 18cm
- Unicornfish [Naso brevirostris] 50cm
- Ornate Ghost Pipefish [Solenostomus Paradoxus] 12cm
K> Moray Eels. Characteristics: fish that looks like a snake. Most species live in holes and crevices, come out tot feed at night.

Giant Moray [Gymnothorax javanicus] 240cm
White-eyed moray [Siderea thyrsoidea] 65cm
> Shrimps, Snakes & Octopus

Durban Dancing Shrimp [Rhynchocinetes durbanensis] 4cm
boxer shrimp [Stenopus hispidus]

Banded Sea Snake [Laticauda colubrina] 120cm

Octopus [Octopus cyanea] 200cm
Broadclub cuttlefish [Sepia Latimanus] 40cm

Seahorse [Hippocampus ..] 15cm
L> Sharks & Rays. These is one group because their bodies consist of flexible cartilage and lack much true bone. Sharks swim using their tail like other fish, whereas rays have modified pectoral fins that they use like wings.

Manta Ray [Manta birostris] 670cm

Blue spotted stingray [Taeniura lymma]

Leopard Shark [Stegostoma fasciatum] 350cm


WhaleShark [Rhincodon typus] 1200cm
Courtesy: Mpathy.nl; Frank van Wamelen Netherlands; Cyriaque France: scc.colombes.free.fr.