Species database

Marine species in Cook Islands

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.

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Commonly seen

18

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

Convict Surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus)common

Acanthurus triostegus

Convict Surgeonfish

Fish
Acropora lutkenicommon

Acropora lutkeni

Corals
Dwarf Angelfish (Centropyge flavissima)common

Centropyge flavissima

Dwarf Angelfish

Fish
Cross-Stripe Butterfly (Chaetodon auriga)common

Chaetodon auriga

Cross-Stripe Butterfly

Fish
Citron Butterfly (Chaetodon citrinellus)common

Chaetodon citrinellus

Citron Butterfly

Fish
Lined Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus striatus)common

Ctenochaetus striatus

Lined Bristletooth

Fish
Banded Dascyllus (Dascyllus aruanus)common

Dascyllus aruanus

Banded Dascyllus

Fish
Rock-Boring Urchin (Echinometra mathaei)common

Echinometra mathaei

Rock-Boring Urchin

Invertebrates
Striped Large-Eye Bream (Gnathodentex aureolineatus)common

Gnathodentex aureolineatus

Striped Large-Eye Bream

Fish
Spotted-Tail Rainbow-Fish (Halichoeres trimaculatus)common

Halichoeres trimaculatus

Spotted-Tail Rainbow-Fish

Fish
Lollyfish (Holothuria atra)common

Holothuria atra

Lollyfish

Invertebrates
Azure Sea Star (Linckia laevigata)common

Linckia laevigata

Azure Sea Star

Invertebrates
Orangespine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus)common

Naso lituratus

Orangespine Unicornfish

Fish
White-Banded Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus)common

Rhinecanthus aculeatus

White-Banded Triggerfish

Fish
Greenfish (Stichopus chloronotus)common

Stichopus chloronotus

Greenfish

Invertebrates
Blue-Fin Wrasse (Thalassoma lutescens)common

Thalassoma lutescens

Blue-Fin Wrasse

Fish
Bischofsmützenseeigel (Tripneustes gratilla)common

Tripneustes gratilla

Bischofsmützenseeigel

Invertebrates
Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus)common

Zanclus cornutus

Moorish Idol

Fish

Occasionally seen

14

Regular residents, but not on every dive.

Gendarme Fish (Acanthurus olivaceus)occasional

Acanthurus olivaceus

Gendarme Fish

Fish
Acropora globicepsoccasional

Acropora globiceps

Corals
Hyacinth Table Coral (Acropora hyacinthus)occasional

Acropora hyacinthus

Hyacinth Table Coral

Corals
Branching Staghorn Coral (Acropora nasuta)occasional

Acropora nasuta

Branching Staghorn Coral

Corals
Spotted Sharpnose (Canthigaster solandri)occasional

Canthigaster solandri

Spotted Sharpnose

Fish
Peacock Grouper (Cephalopholis argus)occasional

Cephalopholis argus

Peacock Grouper

Fish
Blackblotch Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ephippium)occasional

Chaetodon ephippium

Blackblotch Butterflyfish

Fish
Floral Wrasse (Cheilinus chlorourus)occasional

Cheilinus chlorourus

Floral Wrasse

Fish
Burnt Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus)occasional

Chlorurus sordidus

Burnt Parrotfish

Fish
Clown Wrasse (Coris aygula)occasional

Coris aygula

Clown Wrasse

Fish
Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)occasional

Labroides dimidiatus

Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse

Fish
Bigeye Emperor (Monotaxis grandoculis)occasional

Monotaxis grandoculis

Bigeye Emperor

Fish
Yellowstripe Goatfish (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus)occasional

Mulloidichthys flavolineatus

Yellowstripe Goatfish

Fish
Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus)occasional

Parupeneus multifasciatus

Banded Goatfish

Fish

Rare finds

13

Lucky encounters worth logging.

Scissortail Sergeant (Abudefduf sexfasciatus)rare

Abudefduf sexfasciatus

Scissortail Sergeant

Fish
Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus)rare

Acanthurus nigrofuscus

Brown Surgeonfish

Fish
Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus)rare

Caranx melampygus

Bluefin Trevally

Fish
Raccoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula)rare

Chaetodon lunula

Raccoon Butterflyfish

Fish
Oval Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus)rare

Chaetodon lunulatus

Oval Butterflyfish

Fish
Honeycomb Grouper (Epinephelus merra)rare

Epinephelus merra

Honeycomb Grouper

Fish
Bird Wrasse (Gomphosus varius)rare

Gomphosus varius

Bird Wrasse

Fish
Horned Bannerfish (Heniochus chrysostomus)rare

Heniochus chrysostomus

Horned Bannerfish

Fish
Blacktail Snapper (Lutjanus fulvus)rare

Lutjanus fulvus

Blacktail Snapper

Fish
Blue-Spine Nosefish (Naso unicornis)rare

Naso unicornis

Blue-Spine Nosefish

Fish
Sapphire Damsel (Pomacentrus pavo)rare

Pomacentrus pavo

Sapphire Damsel

Fish
Common Parrotfish (Scarus psittacus)rare

Scarus psittacus

Common Parrotfish

Fish
Six-Banded Wrasse (Thalassoma hardwicke)rare

Thalassoma hardwicke

Six-Banded Wrasse

Fish