Species database

Marine species in Australia (Temperate South)

45 species divers have recorded here, each verified against the World Register of Marine Species. Log your dives on DIVR to add to the record.

Commonly seen

18

You have a good chance of spotting these on a typical dive.

Brooding Snake Star (Amphipholis squamata)common

Amphipholis squamata

Brooding Snake Star

Invertebrates
Red Perch (Caesioperca lepidoptera)common

Caesioperca lepidoptera

Red Perch

Fish
Barber Perch (Caesioperca rasor)common

Caesioperca rasor

Barber Perch

Fish
Bronze Whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus)common

Carcharhinus brachyurus

Bronze Whaler

Fish
Common Shore Crab (Carcinus maenas)common

Carcinus maenas

Common Shore Crab

Invertebrates
Heart-Urchin (Echinocardium cordatum)common

Echinocardium cordatum

Heart-Urchin

Invertebrates
Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis)common

Eubalaena australis

Southern Right Whale

Mammals
Sweet William (Galeorhinus galeus)common

Galeorhinus galeus

Sweet William

Fish
Australian Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster)common

Hydromys chrysogaster

Australian Water Rat

Mammals
Flame Shell (Limaria hians)common

Limaria hians

Flame Shell

Invertebrates
Pacific Oyster (Magallana gigas)common

Magallana gigas

Pacific Oyster

Invertebrates
Hump (Megaptera novaeangliae)common

Megaptera novaeangliae

Hump

Mammals
Houndshark (Mustelus antarcticus)common

Mustelus antarcticus

Houndshark

Fish
Australian Sea Lion (Neophoca cinerea)common

Neophoca cinerea

Australian Sea Lion

Mammals
Sand Flathead (Platycephalus bassensis)common

Platycephalus bassensis

Sand Flathead

Fish
Tiger Flathead (Platycephalus richardsoni)common

Platycephalus richardsoni

Tiger Flathead

Fish
King George Whiting (Sillaginodes punctatus)common

Sillaginodes punctatus

King George Whiting

Fish
Picked Dogfish (Squalus acanthias)common

Squalus acanthias

Picked Dogfish

Fish

Occasionally seen

14

Regular residents, but not on every dive.

Ornate Facelinid (Austraeolis ornata)occasional

Austraeolis ornata

Ornate Facelinid

Invertebrates
Smooth Stingray (Bathytoshia brevicaudata)occasional

Bathytoshia brevicaudata

Smooth Stingray

Fish
Anchovy-Eater (Carcharodon carcharias)occasional

Carcharodon carcharias

Anchovy-Eater

Fish
Crested Weedfish (Cristiceps australis)occasional

Cristiceps australis

Crested Weedfish

Fish
Longnose Skate (Dentiraja confusa)occasional

Dentiraja confusa

Longnose Skate

Fish
Stripey Bream (Girella zebra)occasional

Girella zebra

Stripey Bream

Fish
occasional

Goniocidaris (Goniocidaris) tubaria

Stumpy Pencil Urchin

Invertebrates
occasional

Lepidoperca pulchella

Eastern Orange Perch

Fish
Australian Eagle Ray (Myliobatis tenuicaudatus)occasional

Myliobatis tenuicaudatus

Australian Eagle Ray

Fish
Rock Flathead (Platycephalus laevigatus)occasional

Platycephalus laevigatus

Rock Flathead

Fish
Southern Blue-Spotted Flathead (Platycephalus speculator)occasional

Platycephalus speculator

Southern Blue-Spotted Flathead

Fish
occasional

Sillago bassensis

School Whiting

Fish
Eastern School Whiting (Sillago flindersi)occasional

Sillago flindersi

Eastern School Whiting

Fish
Dory (Zeus faber)occasional

Zeus faber

Dory

Fish

Rare finds

13

Lucky encounters worth logging.

Mado (Atypichthys strigatus)rare

Atypichthys strigatus

Mado

Fish
Clown Triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum)rare

Balistoides conspicillum

Clown Triggerfish

Fish
Dusky Shark (Carcharhinus obscurus)rare

Carcharhinus obscurus

Dusky Shark

Fish
Arrowhead Dogfish (Deania profundorum)rare

Deania profundorum

Arrowhead Dogfish

Fish
rare

Dentiraja cerva

White-Spotted Skate

Fish
Denticulate Skate (Dentiraja lemprieri)rare

Dentiraja lemprieri

Denticulate Skate

Fish
Luderick (Girella tricuspidata)rare

Girella tricuspidata

Luderick

Fish
American Black-Fish (Globicephala melas)rare

Globicephala melas

American Black-Fish

Mammals
Goniocidaris impressarare

Goniocidaris impressa

Invertebrates
Breadcrumb Horny Sponge (Halichondria (Halichondria) panicea)rare

Halichondria (Halichondria) panicea

Breadcrumb Horny Sponge

Invertebrates
Asian Sea Squirt (Styela plicata)rare

Styela plicata

Asian Sea Squirt

Invertebrates
Butterfish (Tilodon sexfasciatus)rare

Tilodon sexfasciatus

Butterfish

Fish
By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella)rare

Velella velella

By-the-Wind Sailor

Invertebrates