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
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
1
  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...
Lattice Soldierfish (Myripristis violacea) is also known as the Violet Soldierfish , Orangefin Soldierfish and the Scarlet Soldierfish.

Lattice Soldierfish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
1
The Lattice Soldierfish (Myripristis kuntee) , is also known as the Australian Squirrelfish , Orangefin Soldierfish, Scarlet Soldierfish, Small-eyed Squirrelfish and Violet Soldierfish. They are in the f...
Spangled Emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) is also known as the Yellow Emperor, North West Snapper and Yellow Sweetlip

Spangled Emperor – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
1
The Spangled Emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) is also known as the Yellow Emperor, North West Snapper, Bridled Pig face Bream, Sha'ri and the Yellow Sweetlip . They are generally only seen in any numbers in th...
Blacktail Snapper (Lutjanus fulvus) is also known as the Flametail Snapper, Redmargined Seaperch, Taiva, Waigeu Snapper and Yellowmargined Sea Perch.

Blacktail Snapper- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
3
The Blacktail Snapper (Lutjanus fulvus) is also known as the Flametail Snapper, Redmargined Seaperch, Taiva, Waigeu Snapper and Yellowmargined Sea Perch. APPEARANCE Blacktail Snapper have a typical snappe...
longhorn cowfish, Lactoria cornuta, also called the horned boxfish

Longhorn Cowfish- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
19
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
2
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. ...
Dory Snapper (Lutjanus fulviflamma) is also known as the Blackspot Snapper

Dory Snapper- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
3
The Dory Snapper (Lutjanus fulviflamma) is also known as the Blackspot Snapper. They are reasonably common inhabitants of rubble areas and reef tops in Tanzania but are becoming less common. APPEARANCE Do...
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
4
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
4
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
5
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
1
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 ...
Rockmover Wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) is also known as the Dragon Wrasse, Reindeer Wrasse

Rockmover Wrasse- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
5
The Rockmover Wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) is also known as the Dragon Wrasse, Reindeer Wrasse,Masked Wrasse and Olive-scribbled Wrasse. The juveniles are known Leaf Wrasse in some areas. They are not...
Epaulette Soldierfish (Myripristis kuntee) , is also known as the Shoulderbar Soldierfish, Kuntee Soldierfish and the Pearly Soldierfish

Epaulette Soldierfish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
5
The Epaulette Soldierfish (Myripristis kuntee) , is also known as the Shoulderbar Soldierfish, Kuntee Soldierfish and the Pearly Soldierfish.  They are in the family Holocentridae and sub family Myripristis...
Barred Thicklip wrasse is also knowmn as the Banded thicklip, Barred wrasse and Five-banded wrasse

Barred Thicklip Wrasse- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
6
The Barred Thicklip Wrasse (Hemigymnus fasciatus) is also known as the Banded thicklip, Barred wrasse and Five-banded wrasse. They are not a common wrasse on Tanzanian reefs but neither are they uncommon. T...
Titan Triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) is also known as the Giant Triggerfish or Moustache Triggerfish.

Titan Triggerfish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
14
The Titan Triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) is also known as the Giant Triggerfish or Moustache Triggerfish. . Triggerfish obtain their name from the locking mechanism used to hold the dorsal spine in p...
Rippled Triggerfish (Pseudobalistes fuscus) is also known as the Blue Triggerfish, the Blueline Triggerfish and the Yellowspotted Triggerfish.

Rippled Triggerfish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
13
The Rippled Triggerfish (Pseudobalistes fuscus) is also known as the Blue Triggerfish, the Blueline Triggerfish and the Yellowspotted Triggerfish.. Triggerfish obtain their name from the locking mechanism u...
Freckled Goatfish (Upeneus tragula) is also known as the Bar-tail goatfish, Blackband goatfish, Blackstriped goatfish, Darkband goatfish and Spotted goatfish

Freckled Goatfish- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
8
The Freckled Goatfish (Upeneus tragula) is also known as the Bar-tail goatfish, Blackband goatfish, Blackstriped goatfish, Darkband goatfish and Spotted goatfish. They are common in the shallows on sand rub...
Seahorse on a Frogfish

Seahorse on a Frogfish

Alan Sutton
194
At the very end of an amazing night dive on Mafia Island in Tanzania arranged by David of Mafia Island Diving.  My dive buddy Anna Madrugo found a Frogfish and called me over. After taking a few images of t...
Spectacled Filefish (Cantherhines fronticinctus) is also known as the Spectacled Leatherjacket

Spectacled Filefish – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
2
The Spectacled Filefish (Cantherhines fronticinctus) is also known as the Spectacled Leatherjacket.  They are very shy fishes that are difficult to approach closely and hardly ever stray far from shelter. ...
Bluestreak Goby (Valenciennea strigata) is also known as the Pennant Glider, Blueband Goby, Blueband Glider Goby and the Golden-head sleeper goby

Bluestreak Goby – Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
20
The Bluestreak Goby (Valenciennea strigata) is also known as the Pennant Glider, Blueband Goby, Blueband Glider Goby and the Golden-head sleeper goby.  They lack the sucker type pelvic fins common to many o...
Blue and Gold Fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea) is also known as the Gold-striped Fusilier and the Scissor Tailed Fusilier

Blue and Gold Fusilier- Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
11
The Blue and Gold Fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea) is also known as the Gold-striped Fusilier and the Scissor Tailed Fusilier. They are fairly common on the East African coast and are often seen swimming with ...
Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish(Dendrochirus brachypterus) is also called the Shortfin Lionfish, the shortfin turkeyfish and the Dwarf Lionfish

Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish-Facts and Photographs

Alan Sutton
19
The Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish (Dendrochirus brachypterus) is also called the Shortfin Lionfish, the shortfin turkeyfish and the Dwarf Lionfish. As the name dwarf implies, they are one of the smaller Lionfish. Th...