Species database

Marine species in Costa Rica

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.

Yellowfin Surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus)common

Acanthurus xanthopterus

Yellowfin Surgeonfish

Fish
common

Canthidermis maculata

Rough Triggerfish

Fish
Pacific Creole-Fish (Cephalopholis colonus)common

Cephalopholis colonus

Pacific Creole-Fish

Fish
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)common

Chelonia mydas

Green Sea Turtle

Reptiles
Coral Hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus)common

Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus

Coral Hawkfish

Fish
Rainbow Runner (Elagatis bipinnulata)common

Elagatis bipinnulata

Rainbow Runner

Fish
Flag Cabrilla (Epinephelus labriformis)common

Epinephelus labriformis

Flag Cabrilla

Fish
Slate Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris thouarsii)common

Eucidaris thouarsii

Slate Pencil Urchin

Invertebrates
Glasseye (Heteropriacanthus cruentatus)common

Heteropriacanthus cruentatus

Glasseye

Fish
Brassy Chub (Kyphosus vaigiensis)common

Kyphosus vaigiensis

Brassy Chub

Fish
Olive Ridely (Lepidochelys olivacea)common

Lepidochelys olivacea

Olive Ridely

Reptiles
Common Bluestripe Snapper (Lutjanus kasmira)common

Lutjanus kasmira

Common Bluestripe Snapper

Fish
Black Durgon (Melichthys niger)common

Melichthys niger

Black Durgon

Fish
Blue-Black Mullet (Mugil curema)common

Mugil curema

Blue-Black Mullet

Fish
Devilfish (Ophioblennius atlanticus)common

Ophioblennius atlanticus

Devilfish

Fish
Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)common

Sphyrna lewini

Scalloped Hammerhead

Fish
Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus)common

Triaenodon obesus

Whitetip Reef Shark

Fish
Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus)common

Zanclus cornutus

Moorish Idol

Fish

Occasionally seen

14

Regular residents, but not on every dive.

Crown-of-Thorns (Acanthaster planci)occasional

Acanthaster planci

Crown-of-Thorns

Invertebrates
Convict Surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus)occasional

Acanthurus triostegus

Convict Surgeonfish

Fish
Black Margate (Anisotremus surinamensis)occasional

Anisotremus surinamensis

Black Margate

Fish
Frillfin Goby (Bathygobius soporator)occasional

Bathygobius soporator

Frillfin Goby

Fish
Spotted Sharpnose Puffer (Canthigaster punctatissima)occasional

Canthigaster punctatissima

Spotted Sharpnose Puffer

Fish
Bluefin Trevally (Caranx melampygus)occasional

Caranx melampygus

Bluefin Trevally

Fish
Flame Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria flamma)occasional

Cucumaria flamma

Flame Sea Cucumber

Invertebrates
King Angelfish (Holacanthus passer)occasional

Holacanthus passer

King Angelfish

Fish
occasional

Javania cailleti

Caillet's Stony Coral

Corals
Hump (Megaptera novaeangliae)occasional

Megaptera novaeangliae

Hump

Mammals
Stenoplax limaciformisoccasional

Stenoplax limaciformis

Invertebrates
Orangeside Triggerfish (Sufflamen verres)occasional

Sufflamen verres

Orangeside Triggerfish

Fish
Black-Blotched Stingray (Taeniurops meyeni)occasional

Taeniurops meyeni

Black-Blotched Stingray

Fish
Orange Cup Coral (Tubastraea coccinea)occasional

Tubastraea coccinea

Orange Cup Coral

Corals

Rare finds

13

Lucky encounters worth logging.

Panamic Sergeant Major (Abudefduf troschelii)rare

Abudefduf troschelii

Panamic Sergeant Major

Fish
Chinese Trumpetfish (Aulostomus chinensis)rare

Aulostomus chinensis

Chinese Trumpetfish

Fish
Panama Graysby (Cephalopholis panamensis)rare

Cephalopholis panamensis

Panama Graysby

Fish
Threebanded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon humeralis)rare

Chaetodon humeralis

Threebanded Butterflyfish

Fish
Dappled Sea Hare (Dolabrifera dolabrifera)rare

Dolabrifera dolabrifera

Dappled Sea Hare

Invertebrates
Finespotted Moray (Gymnothorax dovii)rare

Gymnothorax dovii

Finespotted Moray

Fish
Cortez Sea Chub (Kyphosus elegans)rare

Kyphosus elegans

Cortez Sea Chub

Fish
Multipore Sea Star (Linckia multifora)rare

Linckia multifora

Multipore Sea Star

Invertebrates
Riddle Navanax (Navanax aenigmaticus)rare

Navanax aenigmaticus

Riddle Navanax

Invertebrates
Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)rare

Rhincodon typus

Whale Shark

Fish
Brazilian Aeolid (Spurilla braziliana)rare

Spurilla braziliana

Brazilian Aeolid

Invertebrates
Black Porpoise (Tursiops truncatus)rare

Tursiops truncatus

Black Porpoise

Mammals
Houndfish (Tylosurus crocodilus)rare

Tylosurus crocodilus

Houndfish

Fish