A to Z
Our A-Z contains a list of all fish/sea creatures that are stored on the site. All listings are by common names and not scientific names.
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Dappled Soft Coral - Soft Corals
Also known as Soft Tree Corals, Strawberry Coral, Hanging Tree Soft Coral, Nepthea Tree Coral and Nephtheid Soft Coral. Found on coral and rocky reefs growing down... more
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Dark Glove Hermit Crab - Hermit Crabs
Also known as Crustaceans, Anomura Crabs, Hermit Crabs, Haig's Hermit Crab, Dark Glove Hermit and Majestic Purple Hermit Crab. Found on coral and rocky reefs. They feed on... more
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Dark green Sea Cucumber - Sea Cucumbers
Also known as Tripang, Stichopus chloronotus, Green Sea Cucumber, Spiky Sea Cucumber, Black Knobby Sea Cucumber, Black Cucumber, Greenfish Cucumber and Green Fish. Found singly on reef flats... more
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Dark Red-spined Brittle Star - Sea Stars
Also known as Brittle Sea Stars, Brittle Star, Starfish, Serpent Stars, Purple Brittle Star, Purple Brittle Sea Star and Sea Fan Brittle Star. Found on coral and rocky... more
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Dark-capped Parrotfish - Parrotfishes
Also known as Dark-cap Parrotfish, Blue Parrotfish and Egghead Parrotfish. Found singly in lagoons, inner and outer reef slopes with coral areas often in silty conditions. Males blue, females... more
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Darkfin Chromis - Damselfishes
Also known as Darkfin Puller. Found singly or in loose groups on steep outer reef slopes to even deeper reef patches. They feed on thickened algae. Length - 7cm Depth -... more
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Darkheaded Blenny (Juvenile) - Blennies
Also known as Chaenopsidae, Tube Blennies, Chaenopsid Blenny, Darkhead Blenny and Glass Blenny. Found on coral and rocky reefs families usually on Sea Fans but can be found... more
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Darkspotted Flatworm - Flatworms
Also known as Polyclad Flatworms, Marine Worms and Punctuated Flatworm. Found singly or in pairs on coral and rocky reef tops amongst sand and rubble. They feed on ascidians... more
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Darkstripe Tuskfish - Wrasses
Also known as Tuskfish, Black-blotch Tuskfish and Zoster Wrasse. Found singly or in small groups in lagoons and inner reefs, over sand and rubble areas. They feed on... more
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Day Octopus - Octopuses
Also know as the Cyane's Octopus, Big Blue Octopus, Big Red Octopus, Reef Octopus, Common Reef Octopus and Small Common Octopus. Found singly on coral and... more
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Decorated Goby - Gobies
Also known as Sand Gobies, Decorated Sand-goby and Decorated Lagoon-goby. Found singly or in pairs on clean sand and rubble areas of lagoons and seaward reefs. They eat small... more
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Decorator Crab - Crabs
Also known as Crustaceans, Brachyura Crabs, True Crabs, Spider Crabs, Decorator Spider Crab, Retusa Spider Crab, Seaweed Decorator Crab, Rubbish Crab and Velcro Crab. Found on coral and... more
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Deep Lima - Bivalves
Also known as a Molluscs, Oysters, Fileclams and Cupcake. Found singly or in groups under rocks and over sand and rubble areas. They feed on plankton. Length - 4cm Depth -... more
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Delicate Black Coral - Black Corals
Also known as Precious Black Coral and Bushy Black Coral. Found on coral and rocky reefs in caves and on ledges. They feed on plankton. Length - 18cm Depth - 2-40m Widespread... more
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Delicate Ghostpipefish - Ghostpipefishes
Also known as Slender Ghostpipefish. Found in pairs or family groups floating with head down on sandy areas close to reef edges. They feed on small crustaceans. Colour variable... more
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Denise's Pygmy Seahorse - Seahorses
Also known as Pigmy Seahorse, Miniature Seahorse and Plucked Chicken Pygmy Seahorse. Found singly or in small groups only on Gorgonian corals of the genus Acanthogorgra sp. and... more
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Devil Scorpionfish - Scorpionfishes
Also known as Scorpaenopsis diabola, Devil Stonefish, Devil Goblinfish, False Stonefish, False Scorpionfish, False Firefish, False Goblinfish and False Rockfish. Found singly or in pairs well camouflaged around... more
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Devil Scorpionfish (Juvenile) - Scorpionfishes
Also known as Scorpaenopsis diabola, Devil Stonefish, Devil Goblinfish, False Stonefish, False Scorpionfish, False Firefish, False Goblinfish and False Rockfish. Found singly or in pairs well camouflaged around... more
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Diagonal-banded Sweetlips - Sweetlips
Also known as Grunts, Plectorhinchus goldmanni, Goldman´s Sweetlips, Two Diagonal-banded Sweetlips, Yellow-banded Sweetlips, Yellow-lined Sweetlips, Lined Sweetlips, Oblique-banded Sweetlips, Oriental Dogfish and Diagonal-banded Grunt. Found singly or in... more
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Diamond-scale Mullet - Mullets
Also known as Diamond-scaled Mullet, Squaretail Mullet, Blackfin Mullet, Diamond-scale Grey Mullet and Large Scale Mullet. Found in schools in sheltered bays and lagoons on sandy shorelines and... more
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Diamondfish - Diamondfishes
Also known as Moonyfishes, Fingerfishes, Diamond Moonfish, Silver Batfish, Silver Moonfish, Silver Mono, Silver Moony, Silvery Moonfish, Mono Fingerfish, Butterfish and Butter Bream. Found in schools shallow... more
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Diana Nudibranch - Sea Slugs
Also known as Nudibranchs, Diana's Chromodoris and Diana's Chromodoris Nudibranch. Found singly or in pairs on coral and rocky reefs amongst sand and rubble areas. They feed on hydroids,... more
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Diana's Hogfish - Wrasses
Also known as Hogfishes, Lepidaplois diana, Diana Hogfish, Indian Diana's Hogfish, Diana's Hog, Red Diana Hogfish, Gold Diana Hogfish, Red & Gold Hogfish, Diana's Pigfish, Three-Eyed Hogfish... more
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Diana's Hogfish (Juvenile) - Wrasses
Also known as Hogfishes, Lepidaplois diana, Diana Hogfish, Indian Diana's Hogfish, Diana's Hog, Red Diana Hogfish, Gold Diana Hogfish, Red & Gold Hogfish, Diana's Pigfish, Three-Eyed Hogfish... more
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Divaricata Coral - Stony Corals
Also known as Branching Corals, Acroporid Coral, Staghorn Coral and Table Coral. Commonly found on upper reef slopes of fringing reefs and in lagoons. Their growth ranges between flattened... more
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Divided Flatworm - Flatworms
Also known as Marine Worms, Dimidiate Flatworm, Zebra Flatworm and Tiger Flatworm. Found singly or in pairs on coral and rocky reefs amongst sand and rubble. They feed on... more
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Doctorfish - Surgeonfishes
Also known as Doctorfishes, Lancetfishes, Doctorfish Tang and Black Doctorfish. Found singly or in small groups over reefs often mixed with other similar fish. Can change colour dramatically from... more
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Dog Snapper - Snappers
Also known as Dog Teeth Snapper. Found singly or in small schools drifting in the shade of large corals heads and gorgonians. Juveniles found in shallow bays and mangrove... more
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Dogtooth Tuna - Tunas and Mackerels
Also known as Dogtooth Unicolor, Dog Teeth Tuna, Pegtooth Tuna, Whiteflesh Tuna, Scaleless Tuna, Tunny and Ruppel's Bonito. Found singly or in small groups in... more
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Dondan's Egg Cowry - Sea Snails
Also known as Allied Cowries, Dan's Egg Cowrie and Donald's Egg Cowrie. Found on coral and rocky reefs on the host coral Dendronephthya. They feed on soft corals and... more
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Donkey Dung Sea Cucumber - Sea Cucumbers
Also known as Lollyfish, Dung Sea Cucumber and Black Sea Cucumber. Found singly in sandy areas and seagrass beds close to reefs. They feed on plankton. Length - 36cm Depth -... more
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Dot & Dash Butterflyfish - Butterflyfishes
Also known as Coralfishes, Pelewensis Butterflyfish and Sunset Butterflyfish. Found singly or in pairs on outer reef slopes. They feed on coral polyps, tentacles of featherdusters and Christmas-tree worms. Length... more
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Dotted Sweetlips (Juvenile) - Sweetlips
Also known as Grunts, Painted Sweetlips, Magpie Sweetlips, Black Spotted Sweetlips, Spotted Clown Sweetlips, Spotted Sweetlips, Dogface Sweetlips, Black and White Sweetlips, Black Picus Sweetlips and Black... more
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Dotted Wrasse - Wrasses
Also known as Small-mouthed Wrasses, Fine-spotted Fairy Wrasse, Finespot Wrasse, Small-spotted Wrasse, Black-finned Wrasse, Rose Belly Fairy Wrasse and Vila Fairy Wrasse. Found singly or in small groups... more
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Double Star Coral - Stony Corals
Also known as Brain Corals, Moon Coral, Moon Brain Coral and Honeycomb Coral. Found on both protected and exposed reefs. Colonies are dome shaped with an even surface. Varies... more
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Double Whiptail - Coral Breams
Also known as Spinecheeks, Double Whiptail Bream, Whip-tailed Threadfin-bream, Purple Threadfin-bream and Blue Whiptail. Found singly or in small groups in coastal lagoons and harbours. They feed on... more
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Double Whiptail (juvenile) - Coral Breams
Also known as Spinecheeks, Double Whiptail Bream, Whip-tailed Threadfin-bream, Purple Threadfin-bream and Blue Whiptail. Found singly or in small groups in coastal lagoons and harbours. They feed on worms... more
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Double-lined Fusilier - Fusiliers
Also known as Doubleline Fusilier and Black-tip Fusilier. Found in schools, often mixed with other fusiliers, over patches of reef, steep slopes and seaward reefs. Varies in colour... more
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Double-ringed Flabellina - Sea Slugs
Also known as Nudibranchs, Aeolid Nudibranchs and Ringed Flabellina. Found singly or in pairs on coral and rocky reefs amongst sand and rubble areas. They feed on hydroids, coral,... more
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Double-spined Urchin - Sea Urchins
Also known as Double Spined Sea Urchin, Banded Sea Urchin, Banded Urchin, Fire Urchin, False Fire Urchin, Long-spined Sea Urchin, Long-spine Banded Sea Urchin, Star Urchin, Stripe-spined... more
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Doublebanded Soapfish - Soapfishes
Also known as Sea Basses, Barred Soapfish, Doublebar Soapfish, Two-banded Soapfish, Two Banded Grouper, Two-banded Perch, Two-Banded Sea-Perch, Two Band Sea Perch, Yellow Soapfish, Yellow Emperor... more
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Doublebar Goatfish - Goatfishes
Also known as Goldsaddle Goatfish and Yellowstripe Goatfish. Found singly or in pairs in coastal lagoons and outer reefs. They feed on small fish and invertebrates. Length - 35cm Depth -... more
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Dragon Sea Moth - Seamoths
Also known as Dragonfish, Little Dragonfish, Short Dragonfish, Dwarf Seamoth, Short Seamoth, Little Seamoth, Pegasus Seamoth, Pegasus Fish and Dragonette. Found singly or in pairs "walking" with finger-like... more
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Durban Hinge-beak Shrimp - Shrimps
Also known as Crustaceans, Carid Shrimps, Rock & Hingebeak Shrimps, Hinge-beak Shrimp, Durban Shrimp, Dancing Shrimp, Durban Dancing Shrimp, Red Hinge-Beak Shrimp, Hinge-back Shrimp, Peppermint Hinge-back Shrimp,... more
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Dusky Nembrotha - Sea Slugs
Also known as Nudibranchs and Nembrotha Sea Slugs. Found singly or in pairs on coral and rocky reefs amongst sand and rubble areas. They feed on ascidians. Length - 8cm Depth... more
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Dusky Gregory - Damselfishes
Also known as Farmer Damsels, Dusky Farmerfish and Dusky Damselfish. Found in groups amongst branching staghorn coral on reef flats and in lagoons. They feed on algae and sponges. Territorial... more
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Dusky Wrasse - Wrasses
Also known as Sand-reef Wrasses, Saddled Rainbowfish, Speckled Rainbowfish and Orange-tipped Rainbowfish. Found singly or in small groups in shallow surge zones in lagoons, seaward reefs to outer... more
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Dusky Wrasse (Juvenile) - Wrasses
Also known as Sand-reef Wrasses, Saddled Rainbowfish, Speckled Rainbowfish and Orange-tipped Rainbowfish. Found singly or in small groups in lagoons with shallow surge zones, seaward reefs to outer... more
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Dwarf Hawkfish - Hawkfishes
Also known as Coral Hawkfish, Falco Hawkfish and Falco's Hawkfish. Rare in the Maldives (I was lucky) Found singly or occasionally in pairs in shallow clear water, coastal to... more
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Dwarf Moray - Eels
Also known as Moray Eels, Golden Moray, Golden Dwarf Moray and Golden Dwarf Moray Eel. Found singly on inner to outer reef slopes inside crevices, rarely in the... more
