Common name : Gulf grunion Scientific name : Leuresthes sardina Family : Atherinopsidae Native to : Pacific Ocean and Gulf of California Interesting fact : Grunion runs are popular where people enjoy catching the spawning fish. Conservation status : Near Threatened Grunions are small, slender fish with blunt, rounded snouts. They have no teeth and […]

Common name : Tiger grouper Scientific name : Mycteroperca tigris Family : Epinephelidae Native to : Western Atlantic Ocean Interesting fact : Groupers are protogynous hermaphrodites, with a large male controlling harem of 15 females. Conservation status : Least Concern Groupers have stout bodies and large mouths with crushing tooth plates inside the pharynx. They

Common name : Sand tiger shark, Spotted ragged-tooth shark Scientific name : Carcharias taurus Family : Odontaspididae Native to : Sub-tropical and temperate waters worldwide Interesting fact : They are the only known sharks that surface to gulp air and float. Conservation status : Vulnerable The grey nurse shark has a pointy head and a

Common name : White shark, White pointer Scientific name : Carcharodon carcharias Family : Lamnidae Native to : Coastal waters worldwide Interesting fact : The great white shark detects its prey by the electrical impulses from the body of the prey. Conservation status : Vulnerable Living as deep as 1,200 metres, the great white shark

Common name : Balarton, Blotched bigeye, Dusky-finned bullseye, Moonshine conga, Rock bullseye Scientific name : Heteropriacanthus cruentatus Family : Priacanthidae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : The glass-eye can make sounds to ward off intruders. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Living in coral reefs, lagoons, seaward reefs and rocky bottoms are these big-eyed

Scientific name : Architeuthis dux Family : Architeuthidae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : Giant squids have anammonium chloride solution running throughout their bodies which helps maintain buoyancy. Conservation status : Least Concern The giant squid grows 10-13 metres long, possessing a mantle, eight arms and two longer tentacles. The arms and tentacles

Common name : King of herrings, Ribbon fish, Oar fish Scientific name : Regalecus glesne Family : Regalecidae Native to : Oceans worldwide except the poles Interesting fact : The giant oar fish is the world’s longest bony fish growing up to 56 feet long. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The giant oar fish is

Common name : Greater silver hatchetfish Scientific name : Argyropelecus gigas Family : Sternoptychidae Native to : Oceans worldwide except the North Pacific Interesting fact : Giant hatchetfish can jumpout of water and catch mosquitoes and flies. Conservation status : Not Evaluated The giant hatchetfish lives deep in the sea with about 45 known species.

Common name : Mekong giant catfish Scientific name : Pangasianodon gigas Family : Pangasiidae Native to : Mekong basin Interesting fact : It is the largest freshwaterfish in the world. Conservation status : Critically Endangered The giant catfish is a large fish that looks like a shark. It is grey to white in colour, lacking

Common name : Ornate ghost pipefish, Harlequin ghost pipefish Scientific name : Solenostomus paradoxus Family : Solenostomidae Native to : Indo-Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : Inside the brooding pouch, branching stalks grow out of the skin and attach to the incubating eggs acting like an umbilical cord. Conservation status : Not Evaluated Ghost pipefish are

Common name : Lizard shark, Scaffold shark Scientific name : Chlamydoselachus anguineus Family : Chlamydoselachidae Native to : Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Interesting fact : This vivaparous shark has a gestation period of three and a half years. Conservation status : Near Threatened Living near the bottom of outer continental shelf and upper continental slope

Common name : Foxface rabbitfish Scientific name : Siganus vulpinus Family : Siganidae Native to : Western Pacific Ocean Interesting fact : When stressed or at night, it changes to a mottled brown-colour for better camouflage amongst rocks and sand. Conservation status : Least Concern The foxface lives in coral-rich areas feeding on macroalgae and

Common name : Butterbun, Kete, School mistress Scientific name : Chaetodon capistratus Family : Chaetodontidae Native to : Western Atlantic Ocean Interesting fact : This four-eyed butterfly fish makes an attractive aquarium fish due to its small size. Conservation status : Least Concern You may have seen this attractive fish in photos of coral reefs.

Common name : Backspot flying fish Scientific name : Cheilopogon dorsomacula Family : Exocoetidae Native to : Pacific Oceans Interesting fact : Since a flying fish is attracted by light, a fisherman uses light to lure it to his boat. Conservation status : Least Concern The predators of the flying fish have a tough time

Scientific name : Olindias formosus Family : Olindiidae Native to : Brazil, Argentina and Southern Japan Interesting fact : The sting of a flower hat jelly can cause rashes in humans and blooms of these fish affect shrimp fishing. Conservation status : Not Evaluated A flower hat jelly looks like a colourful firework with its