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-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

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

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

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 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

Orangestriped triggerfish

Balistapus undulatus

Oriental sweetlips

Plectorhinchus vittatus

Oval butterfly fish

Chaetodon trifasciatus

Pacific gregory

Stegastes fasciolatus

Painted sweetlips

Diagramma pictum

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

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

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

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

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

Yellowfin fusilier

Caesio xanthonota

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