The biggest predators in the oceans can be object of fear or fascination. More than 450 species of sharks are found in the world’s seas and oceans, and about fifteen of (…)
Rays are majestic fish, which can be distinguished by their flattened bodies and their winglike fins. While some rays, such as the oceanic manta ray, generally “fly” (…)
Angelfish are among the most iconic of the coral reef fishes. With their bright colors, captivating patterns and flat, tall in structure body, they surely are the most majestic (…)
Anemonefish (or clownfish) are certainly the most popular of reef fish. They are known for their ability to live among the tentacles of sea anemones. Clownfish color varies from (…)
Butterflyfish are some of the most beautiful and colored reef fish. They are among the most common sights on reefs throughout the world, especially at low depth. The 120 (…)
Widespread throughout warm and temperate seas in the world, damselfish are small and generally colorful fish. They are very easy to observe: they often are the first fish you (…)
Surgeonfish are named after the scalpel-like thin sharp blades located at the base of their tail. In case of danger, they draw those blades and use their tail to defend themselves (…)
Triggerfish are hard to confuse with other reef fish. Their massive diamond-shaped body is easy to identify, and their colorful geometric patterns make some of them emblematic (…)
Pufferfish and porcupinefish are very easy to identify. They have the ability to “puff up” in a few seconds by swelling water if they are threatened or stressed. With this (…)
Parrotfish are emblematic to coral reefs. About 90 species populate tropical and subtropical areas on the Planet. They are characterized by a long body and a mouth that is more (…)
With about 500 species, the wrasse family is the second largest family of marine fishes. Wrasse species appear in a diverse range of size, shape and color, sometimes varying (…)
Members of the Haemulidae family are generally called grunts in the Caribbean and sweetlips in the Indo-Pacific. There are more than 130 species distributed in warm (…)
Snappers are part of the Lutjanidae family, which comprises more than a hundred species. These fish can be easily spotted at reef, alone or in large schools. Snappers are generally (…)
This page presents the species of the Mullidae family, commonly called goatfish or red mullets. 77 species have been identified around the world. Characterized by a pair of chin barbels, an elongated…
You’ll find on this page the species related to groupers, which are attached to several subfamilies of Serranidae. These species are included in Epinephelinae (groupers, hinds, seabasses)…
A general characteristic of scorpionfish is to have venomous spines, mainly situated in their dorsal fin, which can cause very serious injuries and be potentially lethal. These (…)
Moray eels are a big family encompassing about 200 species. Those snake-shaped fish with impressive teeth often scare swimmers. Yet most of the time moray eels are fearful (…)
Starfish (or sea stars) are one of the symbols of the oceans. Their star-shaped body and their bright colors make them one of snorkeler’s favorite sightings. Starfish occurs in all (…)
Like sea stars, sea cucumbers and brittle stars, sea urchins are part of the Echinoderms phylum. With their spherical body covered moveable spines, they are among the most (…)
Sea cucumbers are probably one of the least attractive of the marine species, but they perform a vital role in the ecology of reef ecosystems, feeding on seafloor detritus (…)
Turtles are among the most emblematic sea creatures. There are 7 species of sea turtles in the world, three of which can be easily observed by snorkelers: the green (…)
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