Sleek unicornfish (Naso hexacanthus) is also known as the Blacktongue unicornfish

Sleek Unicornfish -Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
2
The Sleek unicornfish (Naso hexacanthus) is also known as the Blacktongue unicornfish. In terms of numbers they are probably the most numerous Unicornfish in Tanzanian waters. Fishes within the Acanthuri...
Cigar wrasse (Cheilio inermis) is also known as the Sharp-nosed Rainbowfish, Pêche madame, Julia Larguirucha and Kamasubera

Cigar Wrasse- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
12
The Cigar wrasse (Cheilio inermis) is also known as the Sharp-nosed Rainbowfish, Pêche madame, Julia Larguirucha and Kamasubera. They are not a common wrasse on Tanzanian reefs but neither are they uncommon...
White-Mouth Moray eel (Gymnothorax Meleagris)

Unusual Moray Eel

Alan Sutton
533
While diving on Octopus Reef off Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I noticed a strange looking Moray Eel with its head protruding from a hole. It seemed unlike any other Moray Eel that I had seen before. A clo...
Palefin Unicornfish (Naso brevirostris) also known as the Shortnose Unicornfish, and the Spotted Unicornfish

Palefin Unicornfish -Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
5
The Palefin Unicornfish (Naso brevirostris) is also known as the Shortnose Unicornfish,  and the Spotted Unicornfish. They are the most common Unicornfish in Tanzania. Fishes within the Acanthuridae fami...
Eyebar Goby (Gnatholepis cauerensis) is also known as the Shoulderspot Goby, the Bridled Goby and the Cauer Eye-bar Goby

Eyebar Goby – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
6
The Eyebar Goby (Gnatholepis cauerensis) is also known as the Shoulderspot Goby, the Bridled Goby and the Cauer Eye-bar Goby. There is some disagreement as to the validity of this species and how they shoul...

Partridge Tun Shell-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
40
The Partridge Tun shell (Tonna perdix) is a large fairly reclusive mollusk rarely encountered on shallow night dives in Tanzanian waters. They are marine snails in the super family Tonnoidea. They are unusu...
Lunar Fusilier (Caesio lunaris) is also known as the Blue Fusilier and the Moon Fusilier.

Lunar Fusilier- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
15
The Lunar Fusilier (Caesio lunaris) is also known as the Blue Fusilier and the Moon Fusilier. They are not as common as the other Fusiliers on the East African coast and we have not seen them swimming with ...
Coral Scallop (Pedum spondyloideum ) is also known as the Iridescent Clam

Coral Scallop-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
15
The Coral Scallop (Pedum spondyloideum) is also known as the Iridescent Clam and the Blue Lipped coral Oyster. They are however scallops.  They reside within several species of hard stony corals, but are mo...
Gorgeous Shrimpgoby Amblyeleotris wheeleri also known as the Gorgeous Prawn-goby, the Barred Shrimpgoby and Wheeler's Shrimp-goby

Gorgeous Shrimp Goby – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
23
The Gorgeous Shrimp Goby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri) is also known as the Gorgeous Prawn-goby, the Barred Shrimp goby, the Burgundy Shrimp goby and Wheeler's Shrimp-goby. They are fairly common on the Tanzania...
Senatorial Scallop (Mimachlamys sanguinea)

Senatorial Scallop-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
20
The Senatorial Scallop (Mimachlamys sanguinea) seems to have been named scientifically several times in the past and was previously known as Chlamys senatoria, Chlamys porphyrea and Chlamys australis.  They a...
Graceful lizardfish (Saurida gracilis) also called the Blotchy lizardfish and Slender Lizardfish

Graceful Lizardfish- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
15
The Graceful Lizardfish (Saurida gracilis) also called the Blotchy Lizardfish. Close up they are easily distinguished from other Lizardfish by the shape of the mouth and the protruding teeth as seen in the ...
Sand lizardfish is also known as the Clearfin Lizzardfish

Sand Lizardfish- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
25
The Sand lizardfish (Synodus dermatogenys) is also known as the Clearfin Lizzardfish and the Banded Lizzardfish. They are often confused with the Variegated Lizardfish (Synodus variegatus) but are notably d...
Black Damselfish ( Neoglyphidodon melas) is also known as the Bowtie Damselfish, the Bluefin Damselfish and in some areas as the Royal Damselfish

Black Damselfish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
136
The Black Damselfish ( Neoglyphidodon melas)  is also known as the Bowtie Damselfish, the Bluefin Damselfish and in some areas as the Royal Damselfish.  They undergo a fairly dramatic colour change from juv...
Swarthy Parrotfish (Scarus niger) is also known as the Dusky Parrotfish and the Black Parrotfish

Swarthy Parrotfish-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
30
  The Swarthy Parrotfish (Scarus niger) is also known as the Dusky Parrotfish and the Black Parrotfish.  As with all the Parrotfish which are part of the Labridae family there is considerable diverg...
Halloween Hermit Crab (Ciliopagurus strigatus) is also known as Cone Shell Hermit Crab, the Striped Hermit Crab and the Orange Legged Hermit Crab

Halloween Hermit Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
181
The Halloween Hermit Crab (Ciliopagurus strigatus) is also known as the Cone Shell Hermit Crab, the Striped Hermit Crab and the Orange Legged Hermit Crab.  They are one of the more colourful smaller hermit ...
longhorn cowfish, Lactoria cornuta, also called the horned boxfish

Longhorn Cowfish- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
185
The Longhorn cowfish (Lactoria cornuta) also known as the Horned Boxfish. Their plate-like scales are fused together to form a solid box-like carapace and the fins, tail, eyes and mouth protrude from this. ...
Schultz's pipefish (Corythoichthys schultzi)

Schultz’s Pipefish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
9
The Schultz's pipefish (Corythoichthys schultzi) is one of the more commonly seen species of pipefish on the Tanzanian coast. They are easily recognizable by their longer than normal pipette shaped mouth. ...
Elongate Surgeonfish (Acanthurus mata) is also known as the Yellowmask Surgeonfish, Bleeker's Surgeonfish, the Mata Surgeonfish, the Pale Surgeonfish and the Striped Surgeonfish

Elongate Surgeonfish-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
30
The Elongate Surgeonfish (Acanthurus mata) is also known as the Yellowmask Surgeonfish, Bleeker's Surgeonfish, the Mata Surgeonfish, the Pale Surgeonfish and the Striped Surgeonfish. Members of the Acanthur...
Decorated Goby (Istigobius decoratus) is also known as the Decorated Sand Goby, the Decorated Sand-Goby and the Decorated Sandgoby

Decorated Goby – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
34
The Decorated Goby (Istigobius decoratus) is also known as the Decorated Sand Goby, the Decorated Sand-Goby and the Decorated Sandgoby. In 1979 Istigobius was elevated to genus status and the differentiatin...
Gilded Triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus) is also known as the Blue Cheeked Triggerfish, the Blue Jaw Triggerfish and the Blue Throat Triggerfish

Gilded Triggerfish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
22
The Gilded Triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus) is also known as the Blue Cheeked Triggerfish, the Blue Jaw Triggerfish and the Blue Throat Triggerfish. Triggerfish obtain their name from the locking m...
Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) is also known as the Blackspot Surgeonfish, Dusky Surgeonfish, Lavender Tang and Spot-cheeked Surgeonfish.

Brown Surgeonfish-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
28
The Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) is also known as the Blackspot Surgeonfish, Dusky Surgeonfish, Lavender Tang and Spot-cheeked Surgeonfish. They are  common on the Tanzanian coast. Members ...