Scientific Name: Pomacentrus geminospilus
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 7.5cm
Identification: Light blue-gray with darker scale outlines; blue spots and blotches on cheek and gill cover.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Sheltered shoreline reefs and lagoons on sloping silty bottoms around coral and rock outcroppings in 3-15m.
Location: N. Kalimantan (Borneo) and Palawan Province, Philippines.
Twinspot Damsel
Tomato Anemonefish
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 6cm
Identification: Male - Orange to red with a single white or pale bluish head bar; male considerably smaller than female.
Hide-out: Live with Bulb-Tentacle Anemone on reefs to 12m.
Location: S. China Sea, Malaysian Peninsula, Kalimantan (Borneo) and W. Indonesia, north to S.W. Japan.
Sailfin Snapper
Scientific Name: Symphorichthys spilurus
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 60cm
Identification: Adult - Undercolor shades of yellow with numerous blue stripes from head to tail; black ocellated spot on tail base, dark saddle bar behind head.
Favourite: Form schools.
Hide-out: Mixed sand and coral to 60m.
Location: West Pacific - Philippines and Molucca Is. in E. Indonesia. S.W. Japan to N. Australia and New Caledonia.
Smith's Damsel
Scientific Name: Pomacentrus smithi
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 7cm
Identification: Light gray with pale yellow wash over nape and upper back and a few blue spots; bright yellow iris.
Favourite: Form large busy schools over patches of branching corals.
Hide-out: Silty coastal reefs and lagoons in 2-14m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia and Philippines.
Wrought Iron Butterflyfish
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Description: Blackish with whitish blotch or spot on each scale; rear edge of dorsal, anal and tail fins yellow.
Favourite: Form large aggregations; forage widely.
Hide-out: Rocky reefs in clear water to 7m.
Location: S. Japan and nearby Ryukyu, Ogasawara and Izu Is..
Chinamanfish
Scientific Name: Symphorus nematophorus
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 80cm
Identification: Undercolor shades of yellow-brown to brown to olive with numerous blue stripes from head to tail; often filaments trail from fore rays of dorsal fin.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs to 50m. Can cause ciguatera poisoning.
Location: Asian Pacific - S.W. Japan to N. Australia and New Caledonia.
Philippine Damsel
Scientific Name: Pomacentrus philippinus
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: Dark gray to purple with black scale margins; black spot on pectoral fin base.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Passages and outer reefs, usually in shadows of cliffs and ledges to 12m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Maldives to Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea and Fiji, north to S.W. Japan.
Pewter Angelfish
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 20cm
Identification: Light gray head and back, black below, dorsal and anal fins black with yellow margin, yellow tail; maze of yellow markings on snout and nape.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Inshore and outer rock and coral reefs in 5-30m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia and Philippines, north to S.W. Japan.
Slender Pinjalo
Scientific Name: Pinjalo lewisi
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 50cm
Identification: Variable shades from grayish red to bright red that can quickly intensify or pale; may display pale spot on upper base of tail. Similar to Pinjalo Snapper distinguished by yellow ventral fins.
Favourite: Form schools.
Hide-out: Outer reefs in 20-100m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Laccadive Is. (off S.W. India) to S.W. Japan and Fiji.
Imitator Damsel
Scientific Name: Pomacentrus imitator
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: Gray head and body with black scale margins gradating to tan tail; gold iris, large black spot covering pectoral fin base.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Usually seen on outer reef slopes in 2-15m.
Location: Southwestern Pacific - Coral Sea to Rotuma I. in N. Fiji.
White Collar Butterflyfish
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 16cm
Description: Dark gray overall with pale scale centers and red tail; white 'collar' marking behind eye.
Favourite: Often in pairs, but may form large aggregations.
Hide-out: Rocky shores and coral-rich outer reefs to 20m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - Arabian Peninsula and Maldives to E. Indinesia, N. Sulawesi and S. Philippines.
Pinjalo Snapper
Scientific Name: Pinjalo pinjalo
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 50cm
Identification: Variable shades from reddish gray to red that can quickly intensify or pale, yellow ventral fins; more robust than similar Slender Pinjalo.
Favourite: Form schools.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs and outer slopes in 15-100m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - Arabian Gulf to Taiwan and Papua New Guinea.
Coral Damsel
Scientific Name: Pomacentrus sp.
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 7cm
Identification: Puplish brown, yellowish on lower head, breast and tail. Small black spot at upper pectoral fin base and tiny dark 'ear' spot.
Favourite: Usually form groups around live coral patches.
Hide-out: Shoreline, lagoon and outer reefs to 12m.
Location: Fiji and Tonga.
White-Bonnet Anemonefish
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 13cm
Identification: Orange to light brown; broad white patch on forehead tapers toward dorsal fin and smaller patch at mid-dorsal fin; single, usually discontinuous bar behind eye.
Hide-out: Live with Leathery, Magnificent and Merten's Anemones in 2-12m.
Location: N. Papua New Guinea and Solomon Is.
Midnight Snapper
Scientific Name: Macolor macularis
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 60cm
Identification: Black with pale line markings in scales; blue line and spot markings on head; large eye with bright gold iris.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Edge of steep slopes of lagoons, passes and outer reefs in 5-50m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Maldives to Solomon Is. S.W. Japan to N. Australia and New Caledonia.
Blue-Spotted Damsel
Scientific Name: Pomacentrus azuremaculatus
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: Light blue-gray (nearly white) with blue spot or streak on scales of upper forebody.
Favourite: Solitary or form loose groups.
Hide-out: Mainly offshore coral reefs in 5-30m.
Location: E. Andaman Sea and Seribu Is. in Java Sea, Indonesia.
Tinker's Butterflyfish
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Description: White with numerous dark dots; broad black diagonal area across rear of body.
Favourite: Solitary, in pairs or small aggregations.
Hide-out: Usually shelter in black corals and sea fans on steep slopes in 27-160m.
Location: Marshall Is., Johnston Atoll and Hawaii.
Black Snapper
Scientific Name: Macolor niger
Family: Snappers - Lutjanidae
Maximum Size: 60cm
Identification: Gray to gray-brown with numerous indistinct blotches; no blue lines or spots on head; large eye with dull gold iris.
Favourite: Solitary or form schools.
Hide-out: Steep slopes of lagoons, passes and outer reefs in 3-90m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Micronesia and Samoa. S.W. Japan to Australia and New Caledonia.
Blueback Damsel
Scientific Name: Pomacentrus simsiang
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 9cm
Identification: Yellow with blue upper head and back; pale spots on cheek and gill cover, usually blue lines on forehead.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Silty shoreline reefs and lagoons around coral and rock outcroppings to 10m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia, Philippines, Palau to Solomon Is. and Vanuatu. S.W. Japan to Australia.
Fiji Anemonefish
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 13cm
Identification: Entirely red-orange with white head bar.
Favourite: Usually in groups of variable-sized individuals.
Hide-out: Commonly found anemones on shallow reefs.
Location: Fiji and Tonga.
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