Species database

Marine species in New Zealand (North Island)

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.

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
Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)common

Delphinus delphis

Common Dolphin

Mammals
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
Sweet William (Galeorhinus galeus)common

Galeorhinus galeus

Sweet William

Fish
Rough-Fish (Hoplostethus mediterraneus)common

Hoplostethus mediterraneus

Rough-Fish

Fish
Atlantic Mako Shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)common

Isurus oxyrinchus

Atlantic Mako Shark

Fish
Houndshark (Mustelus antarcticus)common

Mustelus antarcticus

Houndshark

Fish
Houndshark (Mustelus lenticulatus)common

Mustelus lenticulatus

Houndshark

Fish
Australian Eagle Ray (Myliobatis tenuicaudatus)common

Myliobatis tenuicaudatus

Australian Eagle Ray

Fish
Blue Shark (Prionace glauca)common

Prionace glauca

Blue Shark

Fish
common

Sphyrna zygaena

Hammerhead

Fish
Picked Dogfish (Squalus acanthias)common

Squalus acanthias

Picked Dogfish

Fish
Asian Tunicate (Styela clava)common

Styela clava

Asian Tunicate

Invertebrates
Dory (Zeus faber)common

Zeus faber

Dory

Fish

Occasionally seen

14

Regular residents, but not on every dive.

Brown Stingray (Bathytoshia lata)occasional

Bathytoshia lata

Brown Stingray

Fish
Red Perch (Caesioperca lepidoptera)occasional

Caesioperca lepidoptera

Red Perch

Fish
Demoiselle (Chromis dispila)occasional

Chromis dispila

Demoiselle

Fish
Cockscomb Cup Coral (Desmophyllum dianthus)occasional

Desmophyllum dianthus

Cockscomb Cup Coral

Corals
Bulls-Eye (Epigonus telescopus)occasional

Epigonus telescopus

Bulls-Eye

Fish
Luderick (Girella tricuspidata)occasional

Girella tricuspidata

Luderick

Fish
Silver Drummer (Kyphosus sydneyanus)occasional

Kyphosus sydneyanus

Silver Drummer

Fish
Pacific Oyster (Magallana gigas)occasional

Magallana gigas

Pacific Oyster

Invertebrates
Flathead Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus)occasional

Mugil cephalus

Flathead Grey Mullet

Fish
occasional

Ogmocidaris benhami

Invertebrates
common spirula (Spirula spirula)occasional

Spirula spirula

common spirula

Invertebrates
Tetronarce fairchildioccasional

Tetronarce fairchildi

Fish
Albacore (Thunnus alalunga)occasional

Thunnus alalunga

Albacore

Fish
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
Long-Finned Perch (Caprodon longimanus)rare

Caprodon longimanus

Long-Finned Perch

Fish
Pink Frogmouth (Chaunax pictus)rare

Chaunax pictus

Pink Frogmouth

Fish
Boring Sponge (Cliona celata)rare

Cliona celata

Boring Sponge

Invertebrates
Green-Striped Anemone (Diadumene lineata)rare

Diadumene lineata

Green-Striped Anemone

Invertebrates
Orange Clinid (Ericentrus rubrus)rare

Ericentrus rubrus

Orange Clinid

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

Hymeniacidon perlevis

Crumb-of-Bread Sponge

Invertebrates
rare

Lepidoperca aurantia

Orange Perch

Fish
Ocular Coral (Madrepora oculata)rare

Madrepora oculata

Ocular Coral

Corals
Hump (Megaptera novaeangliae)rare

Megaptera novaeangliae

Hump

Mammals
Worm Coral (Stenocyathus vermiformis)rare

Stenocyathus vermiformis

Worm Coral

Corals
Black Porpoise (Tursiops truncatus)rare

Tursiops truncatus

Black Porpoise

Mammals
Atlantic Umbrella Slug (Umbraculum umbraculum)rare

Umbraculum umbraculum

Atlantic Umbrella Slug

Invertebrates