Whip Coral Goby (Bryaninops yongei) is also known as the wire-coral goby

Whip Coral Goby – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
2
The Whip Coral Goby (Bryaninops yongei) is also known as the wire-coral goby. They have a very specialized habitat and are found only on the Whip Coral (Cirripathes anguina) and as a consequence have a numb...
Lieutenant Surgeonfish (Acanthurus tennentii) is also known as the Doubleband Surgeonfish

Lieutenant Surgeonfish-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
3
The Lieutenant Surgeonfish (Acanthurus tennentii) is also known as the Doubleband Surgeonfish and Tennents Surgeonfish. Members of the Acanthuridae family have a retractable razor sharp spine on either side...
Blackbar Filefish (Pervagor janthinosoma) is also known as the Redtail Filefish and the Ear-spot Filefish

Blackbar Filefish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
3
The Blackbar Filefish (Pervagor janthinosoma) is also known as the Redtail Filefish and the Ear-spot Filefish.  They are very shy fishes that are difficult to approach closely. Filefish, also known as le...
Maldives damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon indicus)

Maldives Damselfish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
5
The Maldives damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon indicus) is a fairly recently described species, having been described by Allen & Randall in 2002. They are not common on the Tanzanian coast but in certain are...

Sidespot Goatfish- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
6
The Sidespot Goatfish (Parupeneus pleurostigma) is also known as the  Round-spot Goatfish and the Whitespot Goatfish. They are uncommon on the rubble areas and reefs on the Tanzanian coast and are only occa...
Yellowfin goatfish (Mulloidychtys vanicolensis)

Yellowfin Goatfish- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
5
The Yellowfin goatfish (Mulloidychtys vanicolensis) is also known as the Golden banded goatfish and the Goldstripe goatfish. They are not common in Tanzanian coastal waters  and are only occasionally seen. ...
Honeycomb Filefish (Cantherhines pardalis) is also known as the Wirenet Filefish and the Honeycomb Leather- jacket

Honeycomb Filefish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
7
The Honeycomb Filefish (Cantherhines pardalis) is also known as the Wirenet Filefish and the Honeycomb Leather- jacket. They are unusual looking fishes and are fairly shy fishes that are difficult to approa...
Hypselodoris bullockii

Hypselodoris bullockii-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
4
Hypselodoris bullockii is commonly known as Bullocks Hypsolodoris.   They are dorid nudibranch's. As with other nudibranchs, they are shell-less marine gastropod mollusks. To make up for the lack of protect...
Acanthurus lineatus common names lined surgeonfish, lue banded surgeonfish, blue-lined surgeonfish, clown surgeonfish, clown tang , pyjama tang, striped surgeonfish, and zebra surgeonfish,

Lined Surgeonfish-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
4
The Lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) is also known as the Clown Surgeonfish, the BlueBanded Surgeonfish and the Striped Surgeonfish. Members of the Acanthuridae family have a retractable razor sharp ...
Halfmoon triggerfish, Sufflamen chrysopterum

Halfmoon Triggerfish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
3
The Halfmoon triggerfish, Sufflamen chrysopterum is also known as the Flagtail Triggerfish , Blue throated Triggerfish and Eye-stripe Triggerfish. Triggerfish obtain their name from the locking mechanism us...
Stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) is also known as the Reef Stonefish

Stonefish-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
13
The Stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) is also known as the Reef Stonefish. As their name implies they resemble a stone or part of the reef and their camouflage is excellent. They are extremely difficult to pi...
Goniobranchus geminus previously known as Chromodoris geminus also known as the Gem Nudibranch

Goniobranchus geminus-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
12
Goniobranchus geminus was previously known as Chromodoris geminus until a DNA study proved otherwise. They are commonly known as the Gem Nudibranch. They are dorid nudibranch's. As with other nudibranchs, t...

Decorator Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
68
Decorator crabs belong to the superfamily Majoidea and there are many different species that decorate themselves. They obtain their name from their habit of decorating their bodies with various plants and a...

Bornella anguilla-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
4
Bornella anguilla is also known as the Snakey Nudibranch. As with other nudibranchs, they are shell-less marine gastropod mollusks. To make up for the lack of protection from not having a shell, they are of...
Cryptic wrasse Pteragogus cryptus

Cryptic Wrasse- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
6
The Cryptic wrasse Pteragogus cryptus is also known as the Indian Sneaky Wrasse.  They certainly live up to their name. They are extremely difficult to photograph well due to their habit of going into hidin...
Halgerda Tessellata

Halgerda tessellata-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
7
Halgerda tessellata is a dorid nudibranch. As with other nudibranchs, they are shell-less marine gastropod mollusks. To make up for the lack of protection from not having a shell, they are usually highly po...
Twospot Bristletooth,Ctenochaetus binotatus also known as the Twospot Surgeonfish)

Twospot Bristletooth-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
7
The Twospot Bristletooth, Ctenochaetus binotatus also known as the Twospot Surgeonfish. Being members of the Acanthuridae family, also known as Surgeonfishes they have a retractable razor sharp spine on eit...
Sea Urchin

Sea Urchin Spines- How to deal with them

Alan Sutton
68
Urchins can be quite attractive looking as can be seen in the images but they are prickly and many have poisons on their spines. Whether one is diving or involved in other recreational activities around the...
Halgerda formosa

Halgerda formosa- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
4
Halgerda Formosa is a dorid nudibranch. As with other nudibranchs, they are shell-less marine gastropod mollusks. To make up for the lack of protection from not having a shell, they are usually highly poiso...
Halgerda carlsoni, Carlson's halgerda

Carlson’s Halgerda – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
2
Carlson's halgerda, Halgerda carlsoni is a dorid nudibranch. As with other nudibranchs, they are shell-less marine gastropod mollusks. To make up for the lack of protection from not having a shell, they are...
map cowry Leporicypraea mappa

The Map Cowrie-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
13
The Map cowrie (Leporicypraea mappa) is one of the larger species of cowrie found in Tanzania. They are marine snails in the family Cypraeidae. They are nocturnal and far more reclusive than the other large...
Scissortail Sergeant (Abudefduf sexfasciatus) also known as the striptailed damselfish

Scissortail Sergeant – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
23
The Scissortail Sergeant (Abudefduf sexfasciatus) is also known as the Striptailed Damselfish and Six-banded Sergeant-major.  They are a relatively common fish on Tanzanian reefs. APPEARANCE The body has ...
Red Spotted Guard Crab, (Trapezia rufopunctata) is also known as the Rust Spotted Guard Crab

Rust Spotted Guard Crab- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
23
The Rust Spotted Guard Crab, (Trapezia rufopunctata) is also known as the Red Spotted Guard Crab in some areas. They  spend their entire lives living between the branches of corals of the Pocillopora and Ac...
Golden Scorpionfish (Parascorpaena aurita)

Golden Scorpionfish-Facts Photographs

Alan Sutton
3
  The Golden Scorpionfish (Parascorpaena aurita)is one of the smaller less well known scorpionfish. They are rare in Tanzanian waters and only a few specimens have been sighted and photographed. A...