The known fish fauna of the Maldives now stands at some 1100 species, far exceeding biodiversity seen in most other regions. This is double the number of species that was known from the Maldives prior to the formation of the Marine Research Section in 1984. Despite the rich fish fauna, Maldives has very few endemic species (i.e. ones that are found here and nowhere else). Nevertheless the rich biodiversity attracts many divers and snorkelers from all regions around the world. Learn more about different species with us
Adorned wrasse
Halichoeres cosmetus
African pompano
Alectis ciliaris
Africanbasslet
Liopropoma africanum
Fainstripe cardinalfish
Apogon abrogramma
Almaco jack
Seriola rivoliana
Ambon sharpnosed puffer
Canthigaster amboinensis
Areolate grouper
Epinephelus areolatus
Axil spotho gfish
Bodianus axillaris
Banana fusilier
Pterocaesio pisang
Barcheek trevally
Carangoides plagiotaenia
Barred flagtail
Kuhlia mugil
Barred thicklip wrasse
Hemigymnus fasciatus
Batu coris
Coris batuensis
Beardedsoapfish
Pogonoperca ocellata
Benga lsnapper
Lutjanus bengalensis
Bennetts butterflyfish
Chaetodon bennetti
Bicolor blenny
Ecsenius bicolor
Bicolour cleaner wrasse
Labroides bicolor
Bigeye scad
Selar crumenophthalmus
Bigeye thresher shark
Alopias superciliosus
Bigeye trevally
Caranx sexfasciatus
Bignose shark
Carcharhinus altimus
Bird wrasse
Gomphosus caeruleus
Black and white snapper
Macolor niger
Black-backed butterflyfish
Chaetodon melannotus
Blackedged pufferfish
Arothron immaculatus
Blackflag sandperch
Parapercis signata
Blacktip Reef Shark
Carcharhinus Melanopterus
Black-saddledcoralgrouper
Plectropomus laevis
Blackside hawkfish
Paracirrhites forsteri
Blackspot sergeant
Abudefduf sordidus
Black striped cardinalfish
Apogon nigrofasciatus
Blacktail snapper
Lutjanus fulvus
Blacktipgrouper,Redbandedgrouper
Epinephelus fasciatus
Black trevally
Caranx lugubris
Blotched Fantail Ray
Taeniura Meyeni
Blotcheye soldierfish
Myripristis berndti
Bludger trevally
Carangoides gymnostethus
Blue-and-yellowgrouper
Epinephelus flavocaeruleus
Blue-faced angelfish
Pomacanthus xanthometopon
Bluefin trevally
Caranx melampygus
Blue-greenchromis
Chromis viridis
Blue shark
Prionace glauca
Blue snapper
Paracaesio sordidus
Bluespotted cornet fish
Fistularia commersonii
Blue sprat
Spratelloides delicatulus
Bluestriped fangblenny
Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos
Bluestripedsnapper Kashmirsnapper
Lutjanus kasmira
Bluestripe herring
Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatus
Bluestripe pipefish
Doryrhamphus excisus excisus
Blue surgeonfish
Acanthurus leucosternon
Blue trevally
Carangoides ferdau
Bluntheaded wrasse
Thalassoma amblycephalum
Brown-marbled grouper
Epinephelus fuscoguttatus
Brown remora
Remora remora
Brown-spottedgrouper
Epinephelus chlorostigma
Brown-spotted sandperch
Parapercis millepunctata
Brown tang, Brushtail tang
Zebrasoma scopas
Bullet tuna
Auxis rochei
Camouflagegrouper
Epinephelus polyphekadion
Scarlet- breasted moari wrasse
Cheilinus fasciatus
Chevron butterflyfish
Chaetodon trifascialis
Chistletooth wrasse
Pseudodax molucannus
Cigar wrasse
Cheilio inermis
Citron butterflyfish
Chaetodon citrinellus
Clarks anemonefish
Amphiprion clarkii
Cleaner wrasse
Labroides dimidiatus
Clearfin lionfish, Clearfin turkeyfish
Pterois radiata
Clown triggerfish
Balistoides conspicillum
Coastal trevally
Carangoides caeruleopinnatus
Cobia
Rachycentron canadum
Collared butterflyfish
Chaetodon collare
Comet
Calloplesiops altivelis
Cometgrouper
Epinephelus morrhua
Commerson's frogfish, Giant angler
Antennarius commersonii
Common dolphinfish
Coryphaena hippurus
Common silverbiddy
Gerres oyena
Convict surgeonfish
Acanthurus triostegus
Coral hind, Vermilion seabass
Cephalopholis miniata
Crescent-tailbigeye
Priacanthus hamrur
Crimson jobfish
Pristipomoides filamentosus
Dark-banded fusilier
Pterocaesio tile
Darkfin hind
Cephalopholis urodeta
Dash-dot goatfish
Parupeneus barberinus
Dawn goby
Amblyeleotris aurora
Decorated goby
Istigobius decoratus
Deep-reefchromis
Chromis delta
Desjardins sailfin tang
Zebrasoma desjardinii
Short Fin Pygmy Devil Ray
Moula Kuhlii
Dianas hogfish
Bodianus diana
Disappearing wrasse
Pseudocheilinus evanidus
Divided wrasse
Macropharyngodon bipartitus
Dogtooth tuna
Gymnosarda unicolor
Dusky wrasse
Halichoeres marginatus
Eagle Ray
Myliobatidea
Teardrop butterflyfish
Chaetodon unimaculatus
Eightbargrouper
Epinephelus octofasciatus
Gelatinous cardinalfish
Pseudamia gelatinosa
Elegant dartfish
Nemateleotris decora
Emperor
Pomacanthus imperator
Emperor red snapper
Lutjanus sebae
Ternate chromis
Chromis ternatensis
Escolar
Lepidocybium flavobrunneum
Exquisite wrasse
Cirrhilabrus exquisitus
Fire dartfish
Nemateleotris magnifica
Flagtail triggerfish
Sufflamen chrysopterus
Forceps fish
Forcipiger flavissimus
Fork- tailed threadfin bream
Nemipterus furcosus
Fourbar coralgoby
Gobiodon citrinus
Freckled driftfish
Psenes cyanophrys
Frigate tuna
Auxis thazard
Fusilier damsel
Lepidozygus tapeinosoma
Regal angelfish
Pygoplites diacanthus
Ghost cardinalfish
Apogon savayensis
Giantgrouper
Epinephelus lanceolatus
Giant sweetlips
Plectorhinchus albovittatus
Giant trevally
Caranx ignobilis
Goldband fusilier
Pterocaesio chrysozona
Golden hind
Cephalopholis aurantia
Golden-stripedsoapfish
Grammistes sexlineatus
Golden trevally
Gnathodon speciosus
Goldlined rabbitfish
Siganus lineatus
Greenbarred wrasse
Halichoeres vrolikii
Green jobfish
Aprion virescens
Grey demoiselle
Chrysiptera glauca
Grey large-eye bream
Gymnocranius griseus
Giant Guitarfishes
Rhynchobatus
Half barred goby
Amblygobius semicintus
Harlequin sweetlips
Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides
Headstripe cardinalfish
Rhabdamia cypselura
Honeycomb grouper
Epinephelus merra
Honeycomb Moray
Gymnothorax
Honeycomb sharpnosed puffer
Canthigaster janthinoptera
Humpback red snapper
Lutjanus gibbus
Napoleon wrasse
Cheilinus undulatus
Humpnosebig-eyebream
Monotaxis grandoculis
Indian bannerfish
Heniochus pleurotaenia
Indian butterflyfish
Chaetodon mitratus
Indian dascyllus
Dascyllus carneus
Indian lionfish, Soldier turkeyfish Family
Pterois miles
Indiansnapper,Madrassnapper
Lutjanus madras
Indian triggerfish
Melichthys indicus
Indian vagabond butterflyfish
Chaetodon decussatus
Island trevally
Carangoides orthogrammus
Jansens wrasse
Thalassoma jansenii
Japanese snake blenny
Xiphasia matsubarai
Jarbuaterapon,Thornfish
Terapon jarbua
Jenkin Whipray
Himantura Jenkinsii
Kawakawa
Euthynnus affinis
Kleins butterflyfish
Chaetodon kleinii
Lemon meringue wrasse
Halichoeres leucoxanthus
Slender thread finbream
Nemipterus Zysron
Leopard hind
Cephalopholis leopardus
Lieutenant surgeonfish
Acanthurus tennenti
Lined rockskipper
Istiblennius lineatus
Lined surgeonfish
Acanthurus lineatus
Lined wrasse
Anampses lineatus
Long-finbannerfish
Heniochus acuminatus
Long-nosed butterflyfish
Forcipiger longirostris
Longnose filefish
Oxymonacanthus longirostris
Longnose hawkfish
Oxycirrhites typus
Longspinegrouper,Streakyspotgrouper
Epinephelus longispinis
Mackeral scad
Decapterus macarellus
Madagascar butterflyfish
Chaetodon madagaskariensis
Maldive anemonefish
Amphiprion nigripes
Maldives blenny
Ecsenius minutus
Mangrove red snapper
Lutjanus argentimaculatus
Many-banded pipefish
Dunckerocampus multiannulatus
Many-spined angelfish
Centropyge multispinis
Masked bannerfish
Heniochus monoceros
Mccoskers wrasse
Paracheilinus mccoskeri
Meyers butterflyfish
Chaetodon meyeri
Midnight snapper
Macolor macularis
Moon wrasse
Thalassoma lunare
Moorish idol
Zanclus cornutus
Moray Eeels
Muraenidae
Mozambique cichlid, Tilapia
Oreochromis mossambicus
Mozambique large- eyebream
Wattsia mossambica
Netfin grouper, Honeyfin grouper
Epinephelus miliaris
Oceanic whitetip shark
Carcharhinus longimanus
Oceanic Manta Ray
Manta Birostris
Oil fish
Ruvettus pretiosus
One spot demoiselle
Chrysiptera unimaculata
One-spot snapper
Lutjanus monostigma
Longbarbel goatfish
Parupeneus macronemus
Orange spine unicornfish
Naso lituratus
Orangestriped triggerfish
Balistapus undulatus
Oriental sweetlips
Plectorhinchus vittatus
Oval butterfly fish
Chaetodon trifasciatus
Pacific gregory
Stegastes fasciolatus
Painted sweetlips
Diagramma pictum
Palette surgeonfish, Wedge-tail surgeon
Paracanthurus hepatus
Peacock damselfish
Pomacentrus pavo
Peacock hind
Cephalopholis argus
Peacock wrasse
Xyrichthys pavo
Pearly rockskipper
Entomacrodus striatus
Peppered cardinalfish
Fowleria punctulata
Philippine damselfish
Pomacentrus philippinus
Pilot fish
Naucrates ductor
Pink wipray
Himantura
Pompano dolphinfish
Coryphaena equiselis
Promethean escolor
Promethichthys prometheus
Doublespotted queenfish
Scomberoides lysan
Rainbow runner
Elagatis bipinnulata
Redaxil emperor
Lethrinus conchyliatus
Redbarred cardinalfish
Archamia fucata
Red cornet fish
Fistularia petimba
Redmouth grouper
Aethaloperca rogaa
Redscale wrasse
Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis
Red - spotted sandperch
Parapercis schauinslandi
Redspot wrasse
Pseudocoris yamashiroi
Redtailed pipefish
Corythoichthys haematopterus
Red-tippedgrouper
Epinephelus retouti
Redtoothed triggerfish
Odonus niger
Reef triggerfish
Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Ribbon Eel
Rhinomuraena quaesita
Rockmover wrasse
Novaculichthys taeniourus
Rovingcoralgrouper
Plectropomus pessuliferus
Rusty jobfish
Aphareus rutilans
Saddleback butterflyfish
Chaetodon falcula
Scalefin anthias
Pseudanthias squamipinnis
Scalloped hammerhead
Sphyrna lewini
Schooling bannerfish
Heniochus diphreutes
Scrawled filefish
Aluterus scriptus
Sebae anemonefish
Amphiprion sebae
Semicircular angelfish
Pomacanthus semicirculatus
Seven-banded sergeant-major
Abudefduf septemfasciatus
Shadowfin soldierfish
Myripristis adusta
Sharpnosecave wrasse
Wetmorella nigropinnata
Sharpnose sevengill shark
Heptranchias perlo
Shortfin mako
Isurus oxyrinchus
Shoulderbar soldierfish
Myripristis kuntee
Sicklefin lemon shark
Negaprion acutidens
Side-spot goatfish
Parupeneus pleurostigma
Silky shark
Carcharhinus falciformis
Silver sprat
Spratelloides gracilis
Silverstreak anthias
Pseudanthias cooperi
Silvertip shark
Carcharhinus albimarginatus
Sixbar wrasse
Thalassoma hardwicke
Sixblotch hind
Cephalopholis sexmaculata
Six- fingered threadfin
Polydactylus sexfilis
Sixstripe wrasse
Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Skipjack tuna
Katsuwonus pelamis
Sleek unicornfish
Naso hexacanthus
Slender fusilier
Gymnocaesio gymnoptera
Slender grouper
Anyperodon leucogrammicus
Slender pinjalo
Pristipomoides auricilla
Slingjaw wrasse
Epibulus insidiator
Sliteye shark
Loxodon macrorhinus
Smallspotted dart
Trachinotus baillonii
Smalltoothed jobfish
Aphareus furca
Small tooth sand tiger shark
Odontaspis ferox
Smiths sabretooth blenny
Meiacanthus smithi
Smoothbelly sardinella
Amblygaster leiogaster
Snaggletooth shark
Hemipristis elongatus
Snake mackerel
Gempylus serpens
Snapper
Lutjanus rufolineatus
Snooty wrasse
Cheilinus oxycephalus
Snubnosegrouper,Bigspotgrouper
Epinephelus macrospilos
Snubnose pompano
Trachinotus blochii
Snubnose rudderfish,Blue sea chub
Kyphosus cinerascens
Spaghetti Eel
Gorgasia Maculata
Spotcheek emperor
Lethrinus rubrioperculatus
Spot-nape butterflyfish
Chaetodon oxycephalus
Spot-tail sandperch
Parapercis hexophthalma
Spottail shark
Carcharhinus sorrah
Spotted butterflyfish
Chaetodon guttatissimus
Spotted surgeonfish
Ctenochaetus strigosus
Spotted unicornfish
Naso brevirostris
Spotted wrasse Yellowtail
Anampses meleagrides
Squaretailcoralgrouper
Plectropomus areolatus
Starry triggerfish
Abalistes stellatus
Stocky hawkfish
Cirrihitus pinnulatus
Straited surgeonfish
Ctenochaetus striatus
Strawberry hind
Cephalopholis spiloparaea
Stripebelly wrasse
Stethojulis strigiventer
Surge demoiselle
Chrysiptera brownriggii
Starspotted smooth-hound shark
Mustelus manazo
Tawny nurse shark
Nebrius ferrugineus
Tetraodon tiformes
Rhinecanthus aculeatus
Thicklip wrasse
Hemigymnus melapterus
Thompsons surgeonfish
Acanthurus thompsoni
Threadfin butterflyfish
Chaetodon auriga
Three-bard ascyllus
Dascyllus aruanus
Threespot angelfish
Apolemichthys trimaculatus
Threespot dascyllus,Domino
Dascyllus trimaculatus
Thresher shark
Alopias vulpinus
Thumbprint emperor
Lethrinus harak
Tiger shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
Titan triggerfish
Balistoides viridescens
Tomato hind
Cephalopholis sonnerati
Torpedo Rays
Torpedinidea
Triangular butterflyfish
Chaetodon triangulum
Tripletail
Lobotes surinamensis
- tubelip - wrasse
Labrichthys unilineatus
Two-barred soapfish
Diploprion bifasciatum
Two-spot banded snapper
Lutjanus biguttatus
Twospot demoiselle
Chrysiptera biocellata
Two-spot red snapper
Lutjanus bohar
Two-spot surgeonfish
Ctenochaetus binotatus
Two-spot wrasse
Cheilinus bimaculatus
Twotone chromis
Chromis dimidiata
Vagabond butterflyfish
Chaetodon vagabundus
Vlamings unicornfish
Naso vlamingii
Wahoo
Acanthocybium solandri
Yellowtail blues napper
Paracaesio xanthurus
Whale Shark
Rhincodon typus
White-blotchedgrouper
Epinephelus multinotatus
White-edgedlyretail
Variola albimarginata
White Mouth Moray eel
Gymnothorax meleagris
White remora
Remorina albescens
White-spotted grouper
Epinephelus caeruleopunctatus
Whitespotted pufferfish
Arothron hispidus
White-tail angelfish
Centropyge flavicauda
Whitetip Reef Sharks
Triaenodon Obesus
Wirenet filefish
Cantherhines paradilis
Two spot slender hogfish
Bodianus bimaculatus
Yellowbackanthias
Pseudanthias evansi
Yellowback wrasse
Labropsis xanthonota
Yellow boxfish
Ostracion cubicus
Yellow-edgedlyretail;Moontailseabass
Variola louti
Yellowfin fusilier
Caesio xanthonota
Yellowfin surgeonfish, Ringtail surgeonfish
Acanthurus xanthopterus
Yellowhead butterflyfish
Chaetodon xanthocephalus
Yellowmargin triggerfish
Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus
Yellow-spotted trevally
Carangoides fulvoguttatus
Yellow-stripe monocle bream
Scolopsis auratus
Zebra lionfish
Dendrochirus zebra
Zebra shark, Variegated shark
Stegostoma fasciatum
Zigzag wrasse
Halichoeres scapularis
CONTACT US : Fishes
Fishes
Common fishes of the Maldives
- H. Sunaaru, Guleynooran Magu, Male', 20079, Maldives
- +960 7785165
- info@diveclubmaldives.com
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