Species database

Marine species in New Zealand

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.

Smooth Stingray (Bathytoshia brevicaudata)common

Bathytoshia brevicaudata

Smooth Stingray

Fish
Bronze Whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus)common

Carcharhinus brachyurus

Bronze Whaler

Fish
Light Bulb Tunicate (Clavelina lepadiformis)common

Clavelina lepadiformis

Light Bulb Tunicate

Invertebrates
Compound Sea Squirt (Didemnum vexillum)common

Didemnum vexillum

Compound Sea Squirt

Invertebrates
New Zealand Smooth Skate (Dipturus innominatus)common

Dipturus innominatus

New Zealand Smooth Skate

Fish
Heart-Urchin (Echinocardium cordatum)common

Echinocardium cordatum

Heart-Urchin

Invertebrates
Tope Shark (Galeorhinus galeus)common

Galeorhinus galeus

Tope Shark

Fish
Rough-Fish (Hoplostethus mediterraneus)common

Hoplostethus mediterraneus

Rough-Fish

Fish
Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)common

Isurus oxyrinchus

Shortfin Mako

Fish
Gummy Shark (Mustelus antarcticus)common

Mustelus antarcticus

Gummy Shark

Fish
Houndshark (Mustelus lenticulatus)common

Mustelus lenticulatus

Houndshark

Fish
Australian Eagle Ray (Myliobatis tenuicaudatus)common

Myliobatis tenuicaudatus

Australian Eagle Ray

Fish
common

Sphyrna zygaena

Smooth Hammerhead

Fish
Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias)common

Squalus acanthias

Spiny Dogfish

Fish
Asian Tunicate (Styela clava)common

Styela clava

Asian Tunicate

Invertebrates
Tetronarce fairchildicommon

Tetronarce fairchildi

Fish
Albacore (Thunnus alalunga)common

Thunnus alalunga

Albacore

Fish
Dory (Zeus faber)common

Zeus faber

Dory

Fish

Occasionally seen

14

Regular residents, but not on every dive.

Red Perch (Caesioperca lepidoptera)occasional

Caesioperca lepidoptera

Red Perch

Fish
Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)occasional

Delphinus delphis

Common Dolphin

Mammals
occasional

Dentiraja australis

Sydney Skate

Fish
Bulls-Eye (Epigonus telescopus)occasional

Epigonus telescopus

Bulls-Eye

Fish
Luderick (Girella tricuspidata)occasional

Girella tricuspidata

Luderick

Fish
occasional

Lepidoperca aurantia

Orange Perch

Fish
Ocular Coral (Madrepora oculata)occasional

Madrepora oculata

Ocular Coral

Corals
Pacific Oyster (Magallana gigas)occasional

Magallana gigas

Pacific Oyster

Invertebrates
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)occasional

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback Whale

Mammals
Flathead Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus)occasional

Mugil cephalus

Flathead Grey Mullet

Fish
Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)occasional

Physeter macrocephalus

Sperm Whale

Mammals
Blue Shark (Prionace glauca)occasional

Prionace glauca

Blue Shark

Fish
common spirula (Spirula spirula)occasional

Spirula spirula

common spirula

Invertebrates
By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella)occasional

Velella velella

By-the-Wind Sailor

Invertebrates

Rare finds

13

Lucky encounters worth logging.

Brooding Snake Star (Amphipholis squamata)rare

Amphipholis squamata

Brooding Snake Star

Invertebrates
Brown Stingray (Bathytoshia lata)rare

Bathytoshia lata

Brown Stingray

Fish
Hector's Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori)rare

Cephalorhynchus hectori

Hector's Dolphin

Mammals
Pink Frogmouth (Chaunax pictus)rare

Chaunax pictus

Pink Frogmouth

Fish
Demoiselle (Chromis dispila)rare

Chromis dispila

Demoiselle

Fish
Boring Sponge (Cliona celata)rare

Cliona celata

Boring Sponge

Invertebrates
Cockscomb Cup Coral (Desmophyllum dianthus)rare

Desmophyllum dianthus

Cockscomb Cup Coral

Corals
Green-Striped Anemone (Diadumene lineata)rare

Diadumene lineata

Green-Striped Anemone

Invertebrates
rare

Goniocidaris (Aspidocidaris) parasol

Invertebrates
rare

Goniocidaris (Goniocidaris) umbraculum

Invertebrates
Crumb-of-Bread Sponge (Hymeniacidon perlevis)rare

Hymeniacidon perlevis

Crumb-of-Bread Sponge

Invertebrates
Silver Drummer (Kyphosus sydneyanus)rare

Kyphosus sydneyanus

Silver Drummer

Fish
Black Porpoise (Tursiops truncatus)rare

Tursiops truncatus

Black Porpoise

Mammals