Species database

Marine species in French Polynesia

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.

Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus)common

Acanthurus nigrofuscus

Brown Surgeonfish

Fish
Convict Surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus)common

Acanthurus triostegus

Convict Surgeonfish

Fish
Orange-Lined Triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus)common

Balistapus undulatus

Orange-Lined Triggerfish

Fish
Leopard Sea Cucumber (Bohadschia argus)common

Bohadschia argus

Leopard Sea Cucumber

Invertebrates
Dwarf Angelfish (Centropyge flavissima)common

Centropyge flavissima

Dwarf Angelfish

Fish
Peacock Grouper (Cephalopholis argus)common

Cephalopholis argus

Peacock Grouper

Fish
Citron Butterfly (Chaetodon citrinellus)common

Chaetodon citrinellus

Citron Butterfly

Fish
Oval Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus)common

Chaetodon lunulatus

Oval Butterflyfish

Fish
Clown Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ornatissimus)common

Chaetodon ornatissimus

Clown Butterflyfish

Fish
Burnt Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus)common

Chlorurus sordidus

Burnt Parrotfish

Fish
Lined Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus striatus)common

Ctenochaetus striatus

Lined Bristletooth

Fish
Bird Wrasse (Gomphosus varius)common

Gomphosus varius

Bird Wrasse

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

Halichoeres trimaculatus

Spotted-Tail Rainbow-Fish

Fish
Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus)common

Parupeneus multifasciatus

Banded Goatfish

Fish
Common Parrotfish (Scarus psittacus)common

Scarus psittacus

Common Parrotfish

Fish
Black Damselfish (Stegastes nigricans)common

Stegastes nigricans

Black Damselfish

Fish
Six-Banded Wrasse (Thalassoma hardwicke)common

Thalassoma hardwicke

Six-Banded Wrasse

Fish
Twotone Tang (Zebrasoma scopas)common

Zebrasoma scopas

Twotone Tang

Fish

Occasionally seen

14

Regular residents, but not on every dive.

Crown-of-Thorns (Acanthaster planci)occasional

Acanthaster planci

Crown-of-Thorns

Invertebrates
Black Butterflyfish (Chaetodon reticulatus)occasional

Chaetodon reticulatus

Black Butterflyfish

Fish
Teardrop Butterflyfish (Chaetodon unimaculatus)occasional

Chaetodon unimaculatus

Teardrop Butterflyfish

Fish
Vagabond Butterflyfish (Chaetodon vagabundus)occasional

Chaetodon vagabundus

Vagabond Butterflyfish

Fish
Rock-Boring Urchin (Echinometra mathaei)occasional

Echinometra mathaei

Rock-Boring Urchin

Invertebrates
Jawslinger (Epibulus insidiator)occasional

Epibulus insidiator

Jawslinger

Fish
Checkerboard Wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus)occasional

Halichoeres hortulanus

Checkerboard Wrasse

Fish
Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)occasional

Labroides dimidiatus

Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse

Fish
Pinktail Triggerfish (Melichthys vidua)occasional

Melichthys vidua

Pinktail Triggerfish

Fish
Orangespine Unicornfish (Naso lituratus)occasional

Naso lituratus

Orangespine Unicornfish

Fish
Arc-Eye Hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus)occasional

Paracirrhites arcatus

Arc-Eye Hawkfish

Fish
Blue Parrotfish (Scarus oviceps)occasional

Scarus oviceps

Blue Parrotfish

Fish
Banda Wrasse (Stethojulis bandanensis)occasional

Stethojulis bandanensis

Banda Wrasse

Fish
Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus)occasional

Zanclus cornutus

Moorish Idol

Fish

Rare finds

13

Lucky encounters worth logging.

Spotted Sharpnose (Canthigaster solandri)rare

Canthigaster solandri

Spotted Sharpnose

Fish
Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)rare

Carcharhinus melanopterus

Blacktip Reef Shark

Fish
Cross-Stripe Butterfly (Chaetodon auriga)rare

Chaetodon auriga

Cross-Stripe Butterfly

Fish
Dot and Dash Butterflyfish (Chaetodon pelewensis)rare

Chaetodon pelewensis

Dot and Dash Butterflyfish

Fish
Floral Wrasse (Cheilinus chlorourus)rare

Cheilinus chlorourus

Floral Wrasse

Fish
Blueribbon Damsel (Chrysiptera brownriggii)rare

Chrysiptera brownriggii

Blueribbon Damsel

Fish
Yellowtail Dascyllus (Dascyllus flavicaudus)rare

Dascyllus flavicaudus

Yellowtail Dascyllus

Fish
Domino (Dascyllus trimaculatus)rare

Dascyllus trimaculatus

Domino

Fish
Horned Bannerfish (Heniochus chrysostomus)rare

Heniochus chrysostomus

Horned Bannerfish

Fish
Yellowstripe Goatfish (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus)rare

Mulloidichthys flavolineatus

Yellowstripe Goatfish

Fish
Pyjama (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)rare

Pseudocheilinus hexataenia

Pyjama

Fish
White-Banded Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus)rare

Rhinecanthus aculeatus

White-Banded Triggerfish

Fish
Boomerang Triggerfish (Sufflamen bursa)rare

Sufflamen bursa

Boomerang Triggerfish

Fish