Species database

Marine species in New Zealand (South 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.

Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)common

Carcharodon carcharias

Great White Shark

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
common

Lepidoperca aurantia

Orange Perch

Fish
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)common

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback Whale

Mammals
Gummy Shark (Mustelus antarcticus)common

Mustelus antarcticus

Gummy Shark

Fish
Houndshark (Mustelus lenticulatus)common

Mustelus lenticulatus

Houndshark

Fish
New Zealand Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri)common

Phocarctos hookeri

New Zealand Sea Lion

Mammals
Blue Shark (Prionace glauca)common

Prionace glauca

Blue Shark

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.

Arctic Skate (Amblyraja hyperborea)occasional

Amblyraja hyperborea

Arctic Skate

Fish
Smooth Stingray (Bathytoshia brevicaudata)occasional

Bathytoshia brevicaudata

Smooth Stingray

Fish
Red Perch (Caesioperca lepidoptera)occasional

Caesioperca lepidoptera

Red Perch

Fish
Hector's Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori)occasional

Cephalorhynchus hectori

Hector's Dolphin

Mammals
occasional

Dentiraja australis

Sydney Skate

Fish
Cockscomb Cup Coral (Desmophyllum dianthus)occasional

Desmophyllum dianthus

Cockscomb Cup Coral

Corals
Bulls-Eye (Epigonus telescopus)occasional

Epigonus telescopus

Bulls-Eye

Fish
occasional

Goniocidaris (Aspidocidaris) parasol

Invertebrates
occasional

Goniocidaris (Goniocidaris) umbraculum

Invertebrates
Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)occasional

Isurus oxyrinchus

Shortfin Mako

Fish
Porbeagle (Lamna nasus)occasional

Lamna nasus

Porbeagle

Fish
occasional

Persparsia kopua

Spangled Tubeshoulder

Fish
Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)occasional

Physeter macrocephalus

Sperm Whale

Mammals
common spirula (Spirula spirula)occasional

Spirula spirula

common spirula

Invertebrates

Rare finds

13

Lucky encounters worth logging.

Amphicyclus thomsonirare

Amphicyclus thomsoni

Invertebrates
Brooding Snake Star (Amphipholis squamata)rare

Amphipholis squamata

Brooding Snake Star

Invertebrates
Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus)rare

Cetorhinus maximus

Basking Shark

Fish
Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis)rare

Eubalaena australis

Southern Right Whale

Mammals
Long-Finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala melas)rare

Globicephala melas

Long-Finned Pilot Whale

Mammals
Leopard Seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)rare

Hydrurga leptonyx

Leopard Seal

Mammals
Beakless Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus)rare

Lagenorhynchus obscurus

Beakless Dolphin

Mammals
Ocular Coral (Madrepora oculata)rare

Madrepora oculata

Ocular Coral

Corals
Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina)rare

Mirounga leonina

Southern Elephant Seal

Mammals
rare

Ogmocidaris benhami

Invertebrates
Grampus (Orcinus orca)rare

Orcinus orca

Grampus

Mammals
Black Porpoise (Tursiops truncatus)rare

Tursiops truncatus

Black Porpoise

Mammals
By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella)rare

Velella velella

By-the-Wind Sailor

Invertebrates