Pyramid Butterflyfish

Scientific Name: Hemitaurichthys polylepis
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 18cm
Description: White pyramid shape formed by yellow triangular patch on upper forebody and rear dorsal fin, head brown, anal fin yellow.
Favourite: Form large aggregations; feed on plankton high in water column.
Hide-out: Outer slopes in 3-60m.
Location: East Indo-Pacific - Cocos-Keeling Is. to Indonesia, Hawaii and Polynesia. S. China Sea and S.W. Japan to E. Australia.

Yellowtail False Fusilier

Scientific Name: Paracaesio xanthura
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 40cm
Identification: Blue with yellow area on back extending from forehead to tail; similar Yellowback Fusilier distinguished by a black spot on pectoral fin base.
Favourite: Form schools.
Hide-out: Below diver depths in tropics, but 10-50m in subtropics.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Red Sea to S.W. Japan, Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

Goldhead Damsel

Scientific Name: Pomacentrus aurifrons
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 7cm
Identification: Yellow on snout, forehead, and base of anterior dorsal spines.
Favourite: Form groups among sponge, soft corals, and branching hard corals.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs in 2-14m.
Location: East Asian Pacific - Papua New Guinea, Solomon Is. and Vanuatu.

Yellowfin Surgeonfish

Scientific Name: Acanthurus xanthopterus
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 56cm
Identification: Blue to grayish brown, yellow to yellowish pectoral fins; yellow band passes through eye, frequently a white ring around tail base. The largest surgeonfish.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Sandy areas near reefs in 15-90m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Mexico. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Golden-Lined Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus rufolineatus
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 28cm
Identification: Pale reddish undercolor with narrow yellow stripes on side, yellow tail; often a small dark spot on rear upper back.
Favourite: Usually form large aggregations; hover above reefs.
Hide-out: Steep coastal slopes and outer reefs in 10-50m.
Location: West Pacific - Indonesia to Palau, Samoa and Tonga. S.W. Japan to N. Australia.

Scaly Damsel

Scientific Name: Pomacentrus lepidogenys
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 9cm
Identification: Pale blue-gray with yellow dorsal fin and tail base. Variation from Melanesia and Tonga are light gray with little or no yellow.
Hide-out: Shoreline, lagoon and outer reefs to 12m.
Location: East Indo-West Pacific - Andaman Sea to Philippines, Palau, Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Fiji and Tonga.

Longnose Butterflyfish

Scientific Name: Forcipiger flavissimus
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 22cm
Description: Yellow with black upper head and silvery white below; elongate snout; spot on anal fin below tail base.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Coastal and outer reefs in 2-114m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Hawaii and C. America. S.W. Japan to N. & E. Australia.

Checkered Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus decussatus
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: White undercolor with 6 brown stripes body and 6-7 dark bars across back forming netted pattern on upper body; black spot on base of tail.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs, lagoons and outer slopes in 5-35m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - India to W. Papua New Guinea, north to S.W. Japan.

Goldbelly Damsel

Scientific Name: Pomacentrus auriventris
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 7cm
Identification: Neon-blue head and upper body, yellow lower and rear body, anal and tail fins.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Mainly on rubble slopes in 2-15m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - Christmas I. to W. Bali and E. Kalimantan (Borneo) in Indonesia and Caroline Is. in E. Micronesia.

Pinstriped Angelfish

Scientific Name: Genicanthus watanabei
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: Male - Bluish head and back with alternating black and white stripes on remainder of body.
Favourite: Usually form mixed-sex feeding aggregations above reefs.
Hide-out: Outer reefs in 12-80m.
Location: Pacific - S.W. Japan to Micronesia, E. Australia and New Caledonia to French Polynesia. Absent Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Solomon Is.

Button Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus boutton
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 28cm
Identification: Dusky reddish brown, often yellow-orange lower body; deep notch in gill cover; lack distinctive markings.
Favourite: Solitary or form loose aggregations.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs, lagoons and outer slopes in 3-20m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Similar Damsel

Scientific Name: Pomacentrus similis
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 7cm
Identification: Deep blue (generally lacking brightness of other neon-blue damsels), pale yellowish tail and blackish ventral fins.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Rubble or sand and silt areas around rock outcroppings or debris to 15m.
Location: East Indian Ocean - Sri Lanka and Andaman Sea.

Gray Butterflyfish

Scientific Name: Hemitaurichthys thompsoni
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 18cm
Description: Uniform dark gray; lacks distinguishing marks.
Favourite: Solitary, in pairs or groups; feed above bottom on plankton.
Hide-out: Deep outer reefs in 10-300m, occasionally shallow coastal reefs and lagoons near deep water.
Location: Central Pacific - Mariana Is. in Micronesia, Samoa, Hawaii, Phoenix Is. and Johnston Atoll to French Polynesia.

Blubberlip Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus rivulatus
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 80cm
Identification: Grayish green with wavy yellow lines on head and yellow fins and outer edge of tail.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Near shore and outer reefs in 2-100m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to French Polynesia. S. Japan to N. Australia and Tonga.

Tonga Damsel

Scientific Name: Pomacentrus spilotoceps
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 8cm
Identification: Yellow with darkish scale margins, light blue margin on dorsal and anal fins; 'ear' spot behind eye and dark spot at base of pectoral fin.
Favourite: Solitary or form loose aggregations.
Hide-out: Lagoons and inshore reefs to 3m.
Location: Tonga.

Whitecheek Surgeonfish

Scientific Name: Acanthurus nigricans
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 21cm
Identification: Dark brown to navy blue or black, white tail with yellow bar; white patch below eye, white ring behind mouth, yellow line at base of dorsal and anal fins, yellow tail spine.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Exposed reefs to 40m.
Location: East Indo-Pacific - Christmas I. to Indonesia, Micronesia and Hawaii. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Blackspot Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus ehrenbergii
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Whitish undercolor with 5 thin yellow stripes below lateral line, yellowish tail and anal fins; large round black spot on lateral line below mid-dorsal fin.
Favourite: Usually form groups.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs and estuaries in 1-20m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to E. Caroline Is. and Palau in Micronesia. S.W. Japan to N. Great Barrier Reef.

Saksono's Damsel

Scientific Name: Pomacentrus saksonoi
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 9cm
Identification: Pale gray to nearly white; wedge-shaped brownish mark on upper pectoral fin base.
Hide-out: Silty coral reefs in 8-15m.
Location: Seribu Is. in Java Sea and Sangihe Is. in N. Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Black Pyramid Butterflyfish

Scientific Name: Hemitaurichthys zoster
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 16cm
Description: White pyramid shape formed by dark brown to blackish head and rear body.
Favourite: Form large aggregations; feed on plankton high in water column.
Hide-out: Outer slopes in 40m.
Location: Indian Ocean - E. Africa, Maldives and Bay of Bengal to W. Sumatra in Indonesia.

Black-Banded Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus semicinctus
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Olive back, white below; 7 black bars on upper half of body, large black spot covering tail base.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Lagoons and seaward reefs in 5-35m.
Location: West Pacific - Philippines and Molucca Is. in Indonesia to Great Barrier Reef (rare), New Caledonia, Fiji and Caroline Is. in Micronesia.